Shining Armor doesn't know much about his origin. Where he came from, who his birth parents were, how he ended up being found on the edge of the frozen north; heck, he didn't even know the name of his species until he was in the Guard Cadets. Personally, he didn't care much to find out more: He loved his parents, his sister Twilight, and especially Cadence.
Now, ripped away from his family and the support of his nation, he's gonna have to learn... Quickly.
Lieutenant Steady Formation grumbled beneath his heavy scarf, but kept moving forward. The harsh winds beat against his armor and cloak as he did so, glare from the rapidly falling snow forcing him to hold up a hoof in order to allow him to see. "I don't see why you're complaining, Shield", he said to his fellow guardspony, following a few paces behind him. "You have magic. Just cast a small shield in front of your face."
"Pardon my prench, Lieutenant", the Sergeant said. "But it is really bucking cold! I am complaining because it is cold!"
"Pardoned, Sergeant. But we still have to-"
Sergeant Shield cut off his commander, saying, "I know why we have to do this. But I can still complain about having to walk through the Frozen-bucking-North!"
Steady looked around his held-up hoof, sighing as he took in what his comrade said. The two of them, as well as eight other troopers of the Royal Guard, were moving through the edge of the Frozen North. Granted, it was only a few miles into the edge of the snow-blanketed wasteland; long-range patrols were simply infeasible, given the terrain and the danger posed by the few creatures that called this place home.
Everywhere one looked, snow covered every inch of the ground. The ground beneath the snow was uneven and rocky, giving the snow an image like boiling water. In the distance, only could make out the faint outlines of mountains and rocky outcroppings. However, that was only a very faint outline, as the wind and constantly falling snow obscured much of the landscape ahead. No trace of the sun shown through the swirling storm, covering the surface in twisting shadows and making vision even harder.
Lieutenant Steady sighed again, a faint cloud of steamy air escaping through his scarf. "Just keep moving and keep your eyes open."
"Open for what?", Sergeant Shield asked. "Most of the things that live in this blasted place don't come this far south. Just Frost Wolves and more bucking wind! There's nothing up here!"
As if to respond to that cue, something began to move in the distance. Steady held up his hoof, causing the formation to grind to a halt. "What is it?", Shield asked, stepping closer to Steady. "Frost Wolves?"
"No", Steady said, squinting at the faint outline. "Wrong shape. Plus, there's just one. Frost Wolves are never alone." He turned back to his unit, obtaining eye contact from each of his troopers. "There's something up ahead! I don't know what! Stay on your guard!"
After the chorus of "Yes Sir!" from the Guards died down, he signaled them to keep moving. As they grew closer to the source of the movement, more details could be made out about it. Pony-shaped, tall and bulky, with a... curved horn? "Is that a Pony?", Shield asked. "There shouldn't be anypony up here."
"I know", Steady said, watching as the figure grew closer. Their movement was erratic, jerking from side to side and appearing to stagger in some places. As he watched, it appeared to notice them, just before collapsing into the snow. "Move it!", he barked, breaking into a run alongside his troopers.
They reached the figure, which had fallen into the snow. It was indeed pony-like, though larger than the average pony. Most of it was covered by a thick greatcoat of some kind, which ran across its back and upper legs, and several wraps made of thick cloth or fur. It looked up at the golden-armored stallions, who saw its face obscured by a scarf and goggles. A fur hat of sorts had fallen off its head and now rested in front of the figure, exposing their strangely cut deep green mane.
"Are you alright?", Steady asked, which drew the gaze of the figure to him. As he looked into those goggled eyes, he suddenly felt a bit... strange. A faint glow emerged from behind the lenses; a deep amber color, bordering on a dark red. They then looked down at the bundle, rubbing a hoof along it. It was placed on the ground within the hat. "Hello?" The figure then looked at the Guards again, scanning them like this figure was their commanding officer.
Suddenly, the figure began to... melt? That's what it looked like to Steady, who backed away in alarm, yanking his spear out from its holster along his back. The figure's physical form practically disintegrated, folding in on itself and turning into something that was the same time a liquid and seemingly not there. In a matter of seconds, it was gone, the only trace of its existence being the bundle it left behind.
Steady and Shield approached the bundle, Shield signaling for the others to stay back. The bundle shifted slightly, as if something was moving inside of it. Steady gently rolled the thick cloth bundle over, finding a gap in the bundle to observe the contents.
"Is...", Sergeant Shield began. "Is that a-"
~+~+~~|~~+~+~
A foal. An Umbrum foal.
Princess Celestia gazed down at the small figure laying within the old crib, sleeping peacefully. When this discovery along the Northern Outposts had been discovered, she had instantly been interested. Stalliongrad was the northernmost Equestrian settlement, and even that was almost fifty miles south of where the true Frozen North began. A pony being found beyond that point was almost unheard of, let alone a foal. It was when she had read the report of the squad that found the foal that she had requested the child be brought to Canterlot.
She knelt down, looking over the wooden bars to examine the sleeping foal. Upon first glance, and if one didn't see the head of this foal, it could be assumed it would be a normal pony foal. He had a pale, greyish-white coat that was especially thick and coarse, and a thick, dark blue tail and mane. Despite only being, by her estimates, six months old, he was already quite large. His size was comparable to a foal of almost twice his age, and about as heavy, despite being thin, both his legs and chest showing the outline of bones beneath his coat. However, it wasn't unheard of for a pony foal of his age to be that large, and the discrepancy could simply be chalked up to him being found in the Frozen North.
The head was what ruined the perception. While still covered with coarse fur, it was thinner across his face, exposing some patches of thick, leathery hide. It lacked a proper nose; where nostrils would be a normal pony, there was a small indent in the bone, forming a sort of chasm in the bone. The skin around his mouth was taught, creating a gap between his lips and the wide ring of razor-sharp fangs. The horn that emerged from his head was jagged and curved, which had already caused a few gauges in the soft material of the bedding.
Celestia looked away from the foal, her eyes eventually falling onto the starry night sky that rested outside her window. The question of what she was to do with this foal was foremost on her mind.
There was no way to return him; there was simply no way to do so. She hadn't even known that the Umbrum were alive, having thought they had long ago been rendered extinct. King Sombra was thought to have been the last of his kind, and he was long gone. With no method of contacting any Umbrum in the north and no formal settlement, she simply couldn't return him to his kind.
She couldn't care for the child. She had much on her mind; beyond the typical governmental business, she also had to contend with her newly appointed Personal Student. The best solution would be to have the foal adopted by a kind family that would care for him.
And yet, a thought knawed at the back of her mind as she thought about that plan. One detail about this foal that had concerned her since laying eyes upon him. Namely, his relation to King Sombra. Not any sort of blood relation, of course; merely in species.
Sombra had been raised within the Crystal Empire, a land dedicated to the idea of Love. And yet, he had become consumed by dark magic and became a ruthless tyrant. If that could happen there, could it happen here? Could this child become a tyrant as bad as, if not worse, than King Sombra?
As she considered this possibility, she heard a soft coo. Looking over, she saw the foal stir slightly, looking up at her. His eyes were a pale blue, like the ice of a glacier, and glowed softly. Despite the lack of a pupil, their eyes still somehow conveyed the wonder of a foal, glittering with a strange sort of expressiveness. She smiled at the foal, despite her earlier concerns. "Hello, little one", she said, speaking softly. "Welcome to Equestria."
~+~+~~|~~+~+~
Night Light opened the door, expecting to find the mail or maybe a sailspony. The last thing he expected was Princess Celestia herself.
"Princess!", he squeaked in surprise, dropping into a bow.
"Please", the Princess said, smiling down at him. "There is no need. Please, may I come in?"
"Of course!", Night Light said, standing up and stepping to the side quickly.
The Princess said, "Thank you." As she stooped to enter, Night Light closed the door behind her and gestured to the furniture.
"Feel free to take a seat", he said. "Do you want anything? Tea? Some crackers?"
"No thank you", she said, sitting down behind the coffee table. "Is it just you? Where is your wife?"
"Oh, she's-", Night Light began, only to be cut off by a loud clanging. Both eyes jerked towards the door leading from the living room to the kitchen. There stood Twilight Velvet, having dropped the metal decoration she was carrying out from the basement.
"P-p-princess Celestia!", she said. "Th-this is certainly a surprise. What c-can we do for you?"
The Princess lowered her gaze from the two of them, bringing it down to a small object, wrapped in a blanket, that she held to her chest. She brought it up and pulled away some of the blanket, allowing them to see the contents; a foal, albeit one unlike any they had ever seen.
"Wh-what is...?", Night Light asked, eyes never leaving the small form swaddled in white cloth.
"This is what is called... an Umbrum", Princess Celestia said. "He was found on the border of the Frozen North. I had long thought the Umbrum were extinct, and as such, have no way of returning him to his own kind. I aimed to find a kind family; one that could care for him properly."
"U-us?", Twilight Velvet asked, an expression of stunned amazement on her face.
Princess Celestia said, "I understand you two were attempting to have a child for some time. I know you both have stable jobs that give you a good income, allowing you to support a foal quite easily. And that... you are both very kind, noble ponies. I know I am asking quite a bit, but..." She trailed off, not really knowing what to say.
"Excuse us, Princess", Night Light said. "We just need to... to consider this."
The two of them went into the kitchen, leaving Celestia alone with her thoughts and the Umbrum foal. She gazed down at him again, watching him shift slightly as if trying to escape. He cooed and babbled, as any normal foal would.
After about ten minutes, the two returned. Both looked resolute, sitting down next to one another on the couch. Both tensed up slightly, before Twilight Velvet said, "We'd... We'd be willing to adopt... You said it was a colt?"
"Yes, the foal is a colt", she said, gently levitating the wrapped foal over to the couple. They took him from her aura, Twilight holding him between the two of them. They studied him from all angles, slowly coming to terms with what they were doing. "There is some of the standard paperwork to do; as he was found by the Royal Guard, he was at least temporarily a ward of the State."
"Of course", Night Light said. "Is there anything we should know, specifically, about raising an... an Umbrum?"
"I must admit, I know very little of their kind myself", Princess Celestia said. "I have a specialist coming up from Manehattan to conduct a thorough examination and help figure that out, but she shouldn't be here for another few days. In the meantime, there is one more thing."
"Yes?", Twilight Velvet said, looking up to see the Princess produce a small crystal on a piece of cord.
"This is a Crystal, infused with a special variant of the Polymorph spell", she explained. "I fear that this foal might... not be the most welcome if he were to appear in public in his true form. This would disguise him as a normal unicorn... allow him to have a normal life."
"A-alright", Night Light said, taking the crystal. "We'll consider it. Now... does he have a name?"
"... No", Celestia said.
As the two of them considered the foal, he opened his eyes. Those piercing, glowing blue orbs gazed up at the two unicorns, drawing small smiles from both of them. "How about Shining? After his eyes."
Night Light smiled at his wife. "I like it. Shining. Shining Armor."
Shining Armor couldn't stop himself from beaming. Despite everything seemingly wanting to throw a spanner in the works, his wedding had gone through. He was married to the love of his life, and he just couldn't stop smiling.
"Somepony's happy", Cadence said, her smile smaller yet as genuine as his.
"Can you blame me?", he asked. "I just married the most beautiful mare in Equestria."
Cadence giggled, patting his leg with a hoof. "Have I ever told you how sweet you are?"
Shining just kept on smiling. He fell back against the seat of the carriage, laying his hooves at his sides as he did so. Unfortunately for him, the carriage decided then to go over a bump in the road, sending him spilling forward and nearly slamming his head against the front of the boxy structure.
"I'm ok", he said quickly. Cadence just smiled, which drew a smile from him.
After a few more minutes, the carriage came to a halt outside of a cabin. The structure was picturesque; a wide staircase leading up to a deck containing a swinging bench and table with chairs. The whole structure was made from smooth, hazelnut brown wood, its roof wide and sloping save for the chimney that jutted out from the back. Beyond the back of it, one could see a flat, crystal-clear lake. It was, in a word, idyllic.
Shining deftly lept out of the carriage, turning around to assist his wife. She took his offered hoof, using it to help her practically glide onto the ground. After Cadence shut the door behind her, the two of them removed their luggage from the top of the carriage, floating it to their sides with sparkling auras of magic. As soon as they had finished removing their luggage, Shining said, "Thanks for the ride, fellas."
"Enjoy your stay, sir", one of the Royal Guards pulling the carriage said.
The other one said, "You too, Princess. We'll be back in ten days."
The carriage rumbled off down the road, obscured in its retreat by the small cloud of dust it kicked up. Soon, as the path turned and trees obscured it, the carriage was well and truly gone. They were alone.
Cadence smiled. "Come on. Let's see if this place is really worth the bits."
"Lead the way", Shining said.
The two of them moved up the front steps, stopping before the green door. "Hold on", Shining said, using his levitation to check the mat. "Yeah, here it is." He removed a simple brass key, which was promptly turned on the lock of the cabin. With a quick turn, the door opened up, allowing entrance to the two honeymooners.
The interior only furthered the feeling of idyllic simplicity that the exterior presented. The furniture within the room: couch, chairs, table, even the lamps, all of it was simple and colored tastefully. A staircase similar to the one outside stood against one wall, leading up to the second floor. Several doors led out of the living room into other rooms on the ground floor, while a door on the far side led onto the back deck.
Shining set his suitcase down by the fireplace, looking around the room and whistling. "I guess we got our bits worth."
"Yeah", Cadence said, joining him in studying the living room. "We certainly did." After a few seconds, she looked over at Shining and sighed. "We're alone, you know."
"Hmm?", he said, looking up from studying the mantle. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, there's no one else for miles", Cadence said, slowly and carefully. "You can take it off."
Shinings ears shot straight up at that, his body freezing stiff. He studied Cadence's look, trying to decipher it. Cadence has always had a really good Poker Face; one that rivaled Gaffer, his groups usual Oubilette Keeper. As several seconds ticked by, he lowered his head. "Cadence, I-"
"You don't have to if you don't want to", Cadence said. "But, and I don't mean to push you, we have time to ourselves, alone. I know; there's no reason to keep it on. Plus, I know it itches if you wear it for too long."
"I get it", he said. "Y-you're right." He lit his horn, the magenta aura surrounding a strand of thin cord wrapped around his shoulder. He pulled it upwards, exposing a small, glowing green gem about the size of a pea. With a firm yank, the clasp holding the cord came undone.
The illusion faded as soon as the cord ceased contact with his fur. Gone was the tall white unicorn with a two-toned blue mane and a shield cutie mark. In his place stood a figure that was a good half-foot taller and much bulkier; one who had slate-grey fur and a mane with a singular, dark blue color. While neatly brushed and freshly cut, his fur was still coarse and unusually long for a pony. His horn curved upward, the grey protrusion possessing jagged spikes jutting out from the base ending in a single, wicked spike. While the flesh on his face was thicker than when he was a child, he still lacked a proper nose and possessed thin, boney features.
He blinked, his eyes shifting into pale blue searchlights. He looked up at Cadence, his exposed fangs twisting downward into a frown. "Cadence..."
"Shining, it's ok", Cadence said, coming up next to him. He flinched as she grabbed his hoof, but managed to remain still as she lifted the appendage up. She simply held it in her own, looking up to meet his glowing eyes. "It's ok."
"Cadence, we both know it's not", Shining said.
Cadence returned his frown. "Shining, I married you. Not just the Captain of the Guard, not just the public you. I married all of you. Including this side of you."
"Why?", Shining asked. "You could have gone after a normal pony. Hay, you could have just stuck with Buck Withers."
"Yeah, but Buck used to be a jerk", Cadence said. "I love you, you stupid dork. That's why. Even after I found out, you were just too sweet. Too kind. Too... you."
A thin smile graced Shining's features. "Thanks, Cadie."
"Of course, Shiny", she replied.
The two simply stood there, grasping one another's hoof. Cadence rested her head against his big shoulder, nuzzling the layers of fur along his neck. He gave a muffled giggle, not really wanting to admit his weakness to tickles. Finally, Cadence broke off the embrace, grabbing her suitcase. "Come on, let's get unpacked and go for a swim. I have a new swimsuit I want you to see~"
That fully perked Shining up. "Right behind you!"
Cadence giggled, trotting up the stairs to the second floor. Shining, wearing the goofiest grin his lipless face could manage, followed after her less than a second later.
Cadence smiled up at Shining Armor, shifting her position to better cuddle up to his large frame. She closed her eyes, muttering, "So fluffy."
"What was that?", Shining asked, the focused beams of light coming off of his eyes peering down at her.
Cadence replied quickly, "Nothing."
The two of them lay on the couch in the living room, gazing into the roaring fire within the hearth. The past three days had been as close to perfect as they could probably get. None of their Royal or Guard duties bothered them, no interruptions, and no need for Shining's disguise; just the two of them.
"Man, this is great", Shining said. "I'm glad you convinced me to do this."
Cadence said, "Haywaii was a good idea, don't get me wrong. But, something stress-free like this would probably do us wonders." She reached up and gave her husband a peck on the cheek, before lowering her head back down to snuggle in his thick coat. "And I was right."
Neither of them really noticed how long the two of them spent laying there, simply basking in one another's company. What they did notice was the loud knocking that shattered their serene time together. Both sets of eyes darted to the door, wondering if perhaps they were imagining it. That notion was shattered when a second round of knocks filtered through the door, followed by the call of, "Princess Cadence? Captain Armor? Are you awake?"
"Shining", Cadence whispered. "Get your disguise on."
"It's upstairs!", Shining hissed.
Cadence looked around in a panic. Her eyes finally fell on the door leading to the kitchen. "In there!", she hissed, before turning to the door and standing up. "Coming!"
Shining moved as fast as he could while remaining quiet. When he entered the simple kitchen, he closed the door most of the way, leaving it open only a small amount. He heard Cadence open the front door, asking, "Yes, what is it?"
"Sorry to bother you, Princess", a voice, firm and close to emotionless, answered her. "But Princess Celestia requests that you and Captain Armor return to Canterlot as soon as possible."
"For what?", Cadence asked, mirroring the thoughts that ran through Shining's head.
"I'm afraid I don't know", the voice, presumably a Guardspony, said. "She just said it was urgent."
"Alright, I just need to get our things packed, and-"
Cadence was cut off by the Guard saying, "Another squad will come later and take your things back to the castle. We're just here to collect the two of you." There was a pause, during which Shining could hear a few clanking steps. "Speaking of which, where is the Captain?"
"Oh, uh...", Cadence said. "H-he's upstairs. I'll go get him. Wait at the carriage; we'll be out in a minute."
As soon as he could hear the door slam shut, Shining exited his hiding place. "What's so important that the Princess needs to call us back now?"
"I don't know", Cadence said. "What I do know is that it better be good. Come on, let's get your gem."
~+~+~~|~~+~+~
The ride back to Canterlot Castle was long and almost disturbingly quiet. The whole time, Cadence seemed to glare at the Royal Guard who was riding in the carriage with them; Shining was afraid the poor Corporal would melt into the seat. As nopony knew what was going on, and with the awkwardness of the trip as a whole, nopony spoke.
Finally, after hours of rumbling through woods, plains, and finally the city streets, the carriage came to a stop within Canterlot Castle. Cadence brushed past the guards that waited for them, already knowing the way to where Celestia would be. Shining followed after her, keeping up with her pace due to years of Guard training.
Cadence pushed open the door to the Throne Room, sending the Royal Guard standing sentry scattering to avoid being hit by the door. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna both looked up from a glowing map, depicting a strange city that appeared to be made from large Crystals. Celestia looked up, trying her best to cover her frown with a small smile. "Ah, Cadence. I'm glad you could-"
"This had better be good!", Cadence practically shouted.
Luna said, "Calm thyself, Princess Cadenza. We assure thou, this is a serious matter."
"Indeed", Princess Celestia said, igniting her horn and expanding the map. "This is the Crystal Empire."
With the map now much bigger, the two newcomers could get a better view of the city. It was laid out in a similar shape to a massive snowflake, with crisscrossing streets and alleyways. The buildings were mostly made from actual Crystals, with hollowed-out interiors as evidenced by the doors and windows. In the center of the city stood a towering citadel: Dark blue, reaching upwards into the sky and seeming to pulse with light.
"Geez, that's bright", Shining hissed, holding up a hoof to shield his eyes.
Luna looked at him, a quizzical expression on her face. "Art thou alright? It is merely a representation of the empire."
"Sorry", Shining said. "Tired, I guess."
"Anyway", Celestia continued, steering the conversation back on course. "It resides within the Frozen North. A thousand years ago, it was taken over by Sombra, an... an Umbrum, who had dreams of conquest."
Shining tried his best to keep his expression neutral, but he couldn't avoid a nervous frown from gracing his lips. Beneath his magical disguise, his fangs chafed together. An Umbrum, like him?
"He enslaved its populace, gathering powerful forces to strike at Equestria", Celestia continued, noticing Shining's discomfort and giving him a reassuring glance. It didn't work. "My sister and I ultimately defeated him, banishing him to the Ice. However, he cast a curse upon the Empire, causing it to vanish."
"We know little of the Empire exactly", Luna said. "While we had working relations with Amore, the previous ruler of the Empire, they liked to keep to themselves. What we know for certain is the powerful magics that reside within the Empire, both maintaining a shield that kept them safe from the harsh weather of the north and filters out into Equestria."
"Indeed", Celestia said. "That is why the Empire must be secured quickly."
"But, you said that it vanished", Cadence replied, looking away from her husband to the other Princesses.
Luna said, "It has returned, not a day ago."
"Indeed. And if it has returned, there is no saying if Sombra has as well", Celestia added. "That is why you two must head north. Protect the Empire from Sombra. Its power must not be harnessed for evil."
The first thing that Shining saw as he got off the train was the whipping winds and falling snow that beat down like rain. The constantly churned-up snow shot in every direction, obscuring vision beyond a few yards. The only thing that could be made out for certain was a collection of mountains far in the distance and the glowing dome of the Crystal Empire.
Shining raised a hoof to cover his eyes, squinting and averting his gaze from the glittering dome. "You can see it from here?", Cadence asked, placing a wing on his back and giving him a reassuring look.
"Yeah", Shining said. "It's... it's really bright. Can you not?"
Cadence shook her head. "No. It's... there's too much Fog."
The Royal Guard officer stepped off onto the platform after them. The platform itself was utilitarian in nature, being little more than a slab of concrete and wood. The track continued on for a little bit before turning around in a loop, reconnecting with the track to send trains back south.
"Here we are", he said, gesturing to the distant glow of the dome. "It appeared a few days ago. Nearly started to death one of our patrols."
"Thanks, Lieutenant", Shining said. "We'll take it from here."
The Royal Guard nodded, stepping back into the car. As the train moved around the loop, Cadence and Shining climbed down the ice-slicked steps leading off the platform. When they reached the bottom, Shining looked over and noticed Cadence shivering. He lit his horn and removed his scarf, wrapping it around Cadence in a rapid swirling motion. She looked up in surprise, asking, "Shining, why? Aren't you-"
"I've never really been bothered by the cold", Shining said. "You'll need it more than I will."
"Right", Cadence said. "This is where you're from, right?"
Shining's smile faded, removing his gaze from his wife to scan the frozen waste. It extended in all directions, snow covering nearly everything that could be seen. The ground was uneven, broken up by jutting rocks and the slopes of small, obscured hills. In the distance stood massive, towering mountains that even at this distance appeared to be craggy and rough like chipped teeth. The Frozen Wastes were an accurate name for this region; only the bright outline of the Crystal Empire's shield and the platform at their backs betrayed that any creatures had a presence here.
How could anything live up here? That was the thought that entered his mind, breaking to the front despite his attempt to focus on the mission. How could his kind live up here?
"Come on", Shining said, trying to derail that train of thought. "Let's go."
The two of them pressed ahead, trudging against the wind as the falling snow was blown into their faces. Shining once again held up his hoof, not only to resist the wind but also to block the glow of the Crystal Empire. Even though they hadn't gotten that much closer to it, the brightness only got stronger.
As the two of them entered into one of the small valleys that dotted the frozen land, Shining lowered his hoof. He blinked as the spots cleared from his eyes. "Sweet Celestia, that's bright. Can you see it yet?"
"Just a bit", Cadence said. "At least it's not that far."
"Yeah", Shining said. He reached into his saddlebags, removing a pair of tinted goggles and wrapping them around his eyes. While the landscape was now much darker, the glow that came over the slope wasn't as blindingly bright. "There, now I can see."
"Alright then, let's-"
Cadence was cut off as a loud, feral roar split through the whipping wind. Both of them looked around, eyes and heads darting in every direction. With the wind still blowing hard as it was, the source of the noise was hard to place. Shining said, "You heard that, right?"
"Yeah", Cadence said. "W-where did it-"
"I don't know, but we need to move", Shining said.
Cadence nodded, and the two of them ascended out of the small valley. Back in full sight of the dazzling light coming off of the Crystal Empire, the goggles mitigated the glare enough for him to look directly at it. Through the dome, he could see green fields and, beyond those, the vague shapes of houses and the towering Citadel.
The two of them continued to make their way toward it, moving much faster than before. Both periodically exchanged glances at one another, before picking up their pace. They began to move at a trot, then a canter, before breaking into a gallop as they felt eyes following them.
As they came over another small slope, those eyes appeared within a cloud of a pitch-black smoke-like substance. It seemed to emerge out from the ground itself, towering up into the sky. Despite appearing to be made out of smokey shadows, it resisted the wind, remaining coherent. Within the center sat a pair of pale green eyes, pulsating and lacking pupils.
The shadowy form surged toward them, that same horrible howl emerging from within the smoke. Shining lept in front of his wife, summoning a shield. The shape slammed into the half-dome shape of smokey magenta magic, before attempting to swirl around the side. Shining fulling enclosed the dome, locking the two of them in from the shadow.
The shadow seemed to envelop the shield, wrapping around it. It constricted around the magical barrier, trying to crush it through sheer force. Shining held on, gritting his teeth from the effort. The shape then backed off, removing itself from all angles of the shield and settling in front of the two ponies within.
The shadow bulged and twisted, until what resembled a face started to emerge from the inky black. It was at first featureless, slowly growing more solid and defined as it took on an all-to-familiar shape.
It resembled Shining's face, in structure if not in specific features. Like his true form, the face of Sombra possessed thin features, exposed, twisted fangs, and a pair of pupilless glowing green eyes. However, enough stood in contrast to make the two of them appear different. Sombra's face was thinner, with sharper features and the pale outline of a scar. His eyes flickered as opposed to Shining's steady glow, blinking on and off in rapid succession like an old lightbulb. His features were contorted in an animalistic snarl.
"Kinnn...", he hissed, his voice hoarse and guttural.
Shining simply stared, unsure of what to do. His eyes remained locked on those green lights, which continued to gaze at him. His first meeting with another of his kind, and it was this: the incorporeal form of an ancient Tyrant. He'd never cared much about where he came from, but even still... the shock was enough to stun him.
"Shining", Cadence said, breaking through to him. "We can't stay here. We need to get to the Empire. At least there, we can have a better chance of facing him."
"Right", Shining said, turning back to face Sombra. The mass of Sombra's form hadn't moved, continuing to stare at him. "I'll send the shield out in a pulse. It should stun him. Run as fast as you can."
Cadence nodded, lowering herself into a small crouch as she prepared to gallop. Shining did the same, drawing Sombra's flickering gaze downward. Sensing his opportunity, Shining suddenly expanded the shield rapidly, focusing most of the power in Sombra's direction. The massy of shadowy smoke was sent backward, slamming into a snowbank as the two of them broke into a gallop.
The reprieve was temporary, as what little power was still within the shield soon faded. Another feral roar echoed in their ears, and a sound similar to the wind, yet moving in the opposite direction, began to grow louder. Shining stole a look over his shoulder, seeing the smokey visage of Sombra approaching, mouth open in an unhinged snarl.
Shining returned his gaze to the Crystal Empire's barrier, which the two of them were steadily getting closer to. Even despite the goggles, the glare once again became nearly blinding in its brightness. Shining lowered his gaze, charging forward at full tilt as tendrils of shadowy essence began to appear in his peripheral vision.
"Sssstopppp!", Sombra hissed, another tendril coming down. It would have slammed into Shining's back if Cadence didn't fire a blast of magic, disintegrating the smoky limb and earning another snarl from their pursuer.
Shining and Cadence weaved around a series of jutting rocks, ending up on a stretch of flat land that bordered the Empire's shield. They both began to pick up speed, running as fast as they could toward apparent salvation. Cadence reached it first, passing through the azure barrier with little to no resistance. Stealing a glance over his shoulder, Shining saw Sombra beginning to close the distance, speeding across the ground as his green glowing eyes bored into him. Shining turned back to the shield and lept towards the shield-
-Only to emit his own howl of pain as he hit the barrier. He scrambled back, falling into the snow as pain flared across every surface of his body that touched the shield. Cadence stared in shock as steam came off of his hooves and face, while Shining tried to stand up and move.
Before he could fully right himself, he felt another tendril latch onto his leg. He was pulled from his hooves, falling flat on his face. The agitated nerves that pounded across his face ignited with fresh agony as they slammed into the thickly packed snow. He looked up, seeing Cadence beyond the shield, who met his gaze with her own. "Cadence!", he managed to yell, before more strands of darkness lashed themselves around his shoulders, dragging him into the snowy depths.
"SHINING!", Cadence called back, fading into nothingness as the distance between the two only grew.
Shining jerked and shifted, trying desperately to escape from Sombra's strands of magic. Try as he might, however, he couldn't break out. Instead, he was dragged at breakneck speeds, drawing further and further away from the Crystal Empire. From his wife.
Shining finally managed to roll over enough to bring his horn to bear. He fired several blasts of magic at the sentient cloud of smoke; all to no effect. Before he could try to aim for anything else, another tendril came out from that shadow and wrapped around his horn. Blood pounded in his ears as he was well and truly stuck.
He continued to struggle, a kind of desperate fear adorning his face. He hadn't felt this helpless since his days at School, where he and his friends were the targets of bullying by the more popular students. Despite his strength and bulk, he had been rather restrained, not wanting to somehow reveal his secret. That restraint had earned him a good deal of torment, and now he was desperate to avoid such a situation.
Finally, after what felt like hours of being dragged behind the shadowy form of the Tyrant, he once again managed to wiggle into a position that gave him some more leverage. He simultaneously extended his legs, jerking his head back to try and snap free of the restraints. Sombra slowed, apparently trying to reassert control of the hold, but Shining was finally able to twist over his forelegs and break free.
Once he got his forelegs free, he leaned forward into a somersault. The momentum of the roll gave him the leverage he needed to free his horn and his hind legs. He rolled over, years of Guard training allowing him to come to a stop on his hooves, firmly planted and battle-ready.
Sombra came to a stop, the snarling face emerging from the mass of black smog to glare at him. Shining quickly scanned his surroundings, trying to find something that could give him an advantage. Unable to take Sombra head-on, he had to find a way to buy time or make a distraction. His eyes fell on what appeared to be a small cave, and he made a slow step towards it.
Sombra saw the quick movement, and lunged forward with a shriek. Shining once again rolled to the side, quickly forming a magic barrier to direct Sombra's charge away from him. He then took off at a full gallop, pausing only to occasionally fire a bolt of magic back at his pursuer. As he ran, his right hoof began to burn and ache, sending sparks dancing across his nerves.
With a final effort, he bolted into the cave, igniting a shield over the entrance to prevent Sombra from following him. So focused on his burning hoof and his magic, that he nearly fell forward. The mouth of the cave only extended a few hoof-lengths, before entering into a steep slope down to a lower level.
Shining turned back to the entrance, seeing the dark cloud that was Sombra on the other side of the shield. The back-and-forth movement of the cloud almost resembled pacing, the half-formed face glaring at him with flickering eyes. To Shining's surprise, Sombras's form began to coalesce into a defined shape. The smoke seemed to fold in on itself, compacting and solidifying into a flesh-and-blood Umbrum.
Shining had seen the small version of him as shown by Celestia, but the stallion before him only barely resembled that. The magnificent fur-lined red cape was tattered and pockmarked; even now, the fraying garb was being torn apart in the frigid wind. His suit of black armor was likewise damaged, covered in dents, scratches, and patches of rust. His grown was missing, his hair wild and matted. His appearance, combined with the posture of a feral animal, called to mind images of a beast more than a sadistic tyrant.
"Kinnn..." , Sombra hissed, pacing in front of Shining's shield. "Whyyy... Help... Crystalllssss...?"
"To stop you from enslaving them", Shining replied, trying to think of a way out of this situation. There was no guarantee that the cave went any deeper, and there was no way he could outrun Sombra. Now out of the cold, pain throbbed across almost all parts of his frontal body, leaving him at a severe disadvantage if he had to fight. His only option: try and outsmart the former king.
Sombra snarled, saliva dropping from his mouth and freezing before it hit the snow. "Deserve... Whyyyy?"
"I don't need to justify my actions to you, Tyrant!", Shining snarled.
With a roar of fury, Sombra battered the shield with both hooves. Spiderwebs of dark light seemed to race across the pink barrier, before it shattered like glass. Shining tried to react as Sombra charged in, but between his shock and the pain arcing across his body, he was unable to.
Sombra tackled the two of them down into the cave behind them, the impact softened only by the thin layer of snow that had made its way this far into the cave. Shining rolled hard, the wet and hard stone floor doing his aching nerves no favors. He attempted to right himself, but Sombra brought a hoof down before he could.
Sombra glared down at him, raising his other hoof to deliver a blow. As it appeared he would deliver it, though, he stopped. He began to look around, almost desperate in his search for some unseen item or noise. "Whattt?", he hissed, distracted.
Shining took advantage, delivering a kick to his knee. Sombra fell forward, with Shining swinging upwards in a hard punch. Sombra went spilling off of him, falling to the stone floor next to Shining. Though he wheezed and made other noises Shining had only heard in a hospital, he did not get up.
Try as he might, Shining could not force himself to get up either. Everything throbbed with pain, either an incessant dull throbbing or a firm, screaming pain. He rolled over onto his side, hissing in agony as every aching nerve protested the move, insisting he lay there until the pain stopped. His eyelids apparently agreed, as they grew heavy the longer he lay there. Try as he might, he could not keep them open, finally falling into unconsciousness.
~+~+~~|~~+~+~
Shining blinked, a dull throb coming from his head and his hoof as his eyes forced themselves open. His vision was a blurry mess, though he could vaguely make out the still-unconscious form of Sombra and elements of the surrounding cave. He tried to lift himself up, though putting weight on his injured hoof only succeeded in sending jolts of pain running through his body.
As he fell back to the ground with a hiss of agony, he heard something. It was faint, just barely audible over the ringing in his ears and the howling wind outside. As the seconds dragged on, he could make it out more clearly: the barking of Dogs.
Something made a noise outside the cave. No, not just a noise; a voice. There was somepony out there. Maybe Cadence had alerted the Guard?
His head still swimming, he once again tried to raise himself back upright. Once again, he felt a sharp stabbing pain run up his leg, forcing him back onto the ground, though without as much pain. He rolled onto his side, clutching at the limb with his other forehoof.
His vision cleared up somewhat, he was able to make out an equine shape sliding down the snow-coated slope into the cave. He was immediately dissuaded from his earlier opinion of it being the Royal Guard. The clothing the pony wore was a heavy coat and brown belt, along with a conical hat that appeared to be made of fur. Their face was obscured by a heavy scarf and a pair of goggles, but their horn...
The pony grabbed his face with a hoof, forcing his gaze to turn upwards to the cave ceiling. "Ciaran!", they yelled in a harshly accented voice that caused Shining's ears to ring. As they recovered, he thought he heard something else slide down into the cave.
"Oh, that's not good", another voice, this one much more feminine than the first.
Shining tried to turn his head over to look at his rescuers, but was held in place by the hoof of the first one. "W-who...?"
"At least he's alive", the first figure said.
"Barely", the second, apparently called Ciaran, replied. "Go get the others. We'll need to get them both back."
Shining felt the hoof of the first one remove itself from his head, allowing his head to roll to the side. It would have hit the floor of the cave if not for another hoof, much gentler than the first, lowering it down the rest of the way. Bathed in the warbly glow of some kind of spell, he got a good look at the face of one of his rescuers before all went black:
A face possessing thin features, an exposed set of fangs, an exposed piece of bone where their nose should be, and a curved horn.
Shining's eyes opened up, suddenly feeling wide awake.
Despite his mind telling him to awaken, his body felt as if a carriage had run over him. Every segment of his body seemed to throb with a dull agony. His face and forelegs was the focal point of that pain, accompanied by a strange feeling like he was covered in congealed mud.
His eyes were drawn to the roof over his head; mainly the fact it was an actual roof, and not the top of the cave or the artificial dome of the Frozen North. Lines of wooden beams ran along the roof, with another beam running perpendicular to them acting as a support. The roof itself appeared to be made out of a kind of thick white cloth. Strange designs ran along the wooden beams, as well as... an array of small bones, handing on wooden cords, dangling from the ceiling.
Despite the protestation of his body, he managed to force himself to sit up, throwing off a fur blanket. He looked around, seeing he sat in an empty room of sorts. The room was circular, with several beds lining the walls interspaced by chests and tables filled with small bundles of burning plants that filled the room with a sweet, somewhat acrid smoke. In the center of the room sat a large stove, which sent a small plume of smoke upwards that exited out a hole in the center of the room.
Looking down, he saw that his forelegs were indeed covered in something. It was a kind of off-white paste, caked onto his forelegs and spiderwebbed in cracks. He brought up one of his hooves, eyes going wide as he saw the thicker fur that accompanied his natural form.
He looked around, running a hoof along both of his shoulders in search of the charm containing his disguise. Nothing turned up from his search; it must have broken off and been lost when he was being dragged away by Sombra.
Speaking of the Tyrant, a shifting out of the corner of his eyes revealed that he wasn't completely alone. Lying in his own bed, almost directly across from him, was King Sombra. His form tossed and turned, his regalia missing and a towel laid over his eyes. Shining stared at the sleeping form of his pursuer, eyes wide and staring.
"Hey, you're awake!", a voice said, drawing his attention away from Sombra and towards the door.
Standing at the entrance to the room, pushing aside a flap of leather that acted as a door, stood one of the Umbrum who found him. The Umbrum was female, standing a little bit shorter than himself and with her fur much longer. Her coat was a dark purple, her pale green mane divided into an array of braids running down the back of her neck. She wore a heavy coat, lined with fur and held in place by bone-white buttons, along with a heavy scarf and leather bracers along each foreleg.
She was upon him in a matter of seconds, placing a bowl of water between his legs and grabbing ahold of his head. "Alright, good, good. Your burns are healing nicely. Note to self: Get more of those berries next time we're near that grove. Anyway, let's see... Eyes look good, no flickering." She stopped, lifting his jaw upwards and examining him from all angles. "By the Spirits, your teeth are so clean."
Finally managing to wiggle out of the Umbrum's grip, Shining shuffled away as far as he could. He met her curious expression with a glare, asking, "Who are you? W-where am I?"
"Ah, disorientation. That's to be expected", the Umbrum said, before grabbing the bowl and beginning to remove the paste applied to his forelegs and face. "As for names, mine's Ciaran. What's yours?"
"Sh-shining Armor", Shining replied.
Ciaran cocked her head, giving him a quizzical look. "That's an odd name."
"Y-yeah?", Shining said. "I'm... not from around here?"
"Must be from one of the Keeps", another voice said. This one revealed the male Umbrum that had found him; a figure even bigger than Shining. His fur was a light black, with a mane colored a dark shade of gray and pulled back into a braid. He wore similar clothes to that of Ciaran, save for his coat being a dark blue and accompanied by a conical fur hat. "So where are you from? Atvis Heights? Nalakit? ...Sombrashaven?"
"Simmer down, Shroud", Ciaran said. "He's likely still disorientated from... whatever happened. Give him a few hours, and he should be more than capable of answering you or your father's questions."
Shroud blew air out through his teeth; a strange, deep whistling noise. He redirected his attention away from Shining and towards the unconscious Sombra. "That one still hasn't woken up yet?"
"Not that I've seen", Ciaran said, finally finishing washing away the paste. Shining shivered, the cold water soaking into his fur, before fading away due to the inherent warmth of the room. "Your burns have healed nicely", Ciaran remarked, gesturing to the faded lines of singed fur. "You'll be staying in here for a few days, which should give your fur enough time to grow back in right. Now, don't go... trying to wrestle a Will-o-Wisp or whatever you did to earn these burns."
"Yeah, you were banged up pretty bad", Shroud said. "You and your friend over there were almost-"
"He's not my friend", Shining said. "He attacked me and my wife."
"Ah", Shroud said. "Know who he is? We might be able to give him over to the Tsereg if it was serious enough."
"King Sombra, if you've heard of him."
At that name, both of them froze solid, the bowl of water in Ciaran's magic falling to the ground and spraying the wooden floor with water. They stared at him, before both of them turning their gaze's over to the sleeping form of Sombra. Leaning over slightly, Shining saw an emotion he never thought he'd see when discussing an enemy of Equestria: Awe. Ciaran asked, "You're sure?"
"Yeah", Shining said. "Why?"
"I... I'm going to go get father", Shroud said, turning back to look at Shining. "He'll want to talk to you. About... all of this."
As Shroud left, Ciaran kept looking at the shifting form of Sombra. She seemed transfixed on him, her eyes never leaving him and her only movement being the gentle flickering of her eyes and the rising and falling of her chest. "Uh... You ok?", Shining asked.
Finally snapped out of her shock, she said, "N-no. Well, yes. I'm fine... Uh, you want me to get you something to eat?"
Shining quirked an eyebrow at her attempt to change the subject, before rapidly lowering it as he felt a growl emanate out from his stomach. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble."
"Don't worry", she said, already making her way to the tent's flap. "My family's tent isn't that far from this one. I'll be right back."
She left, the brief chill that entered as she left soon dissipating. Now, all that remained in the tent that was conscious was Shining and his thoughts.
"So... these are my kind?", he asked nopony in particular. He laid back against the pillow, leaning his head back to once again gaze at the bones dangling from the tent frame. He was never really one for quiet reflection, but now that position was forced upon him.
Here he was: in the Frozen North, with others of his kind. He couldn't say that he had given the idea much thought. He always had his family and, while he had few, his friends. Especially after his engagement to Cadence, he never felt a need to really think about where he came from. As he grew up, it was just something he had to do: He went to a special doctor and had to wear a special charm when in public. That's all it was.
And yet, here he was, sitting in an Umbrum tent in what he guessed was an Umbrum settlement. He had no idea where he was, nor how far away he was from Cadence and help from Equestria. He couldn't just pick a direction and run, and despite the fact they had helped him, he somehow doubted that he'd get any help from these Umbrum. He just had no way of knowing how to return to Equestria, and that left him stuck here for the time being.
He sighed, somehow hating that phrase, 'Stuck here'. Like he was forced to remain in a completely undesirably place with the option to leave. Like it or not, and despite some of the weird things he had seen and heard so far, they didn't seem too bad. Maybe he could figure something out.
"You awake?" Ciaran's voice tore him away from his train of thought.
"Yeah, I'm awake", he said, sitting back up.
Ciaran said, "Alright, here you go." She levitated two things over to him. The first was a simple metal and wood cup on a small strut, allowing him to grip it with his hooves easily. It was filled with what looked like milk, steaming slightly. The other was a simple wooden plate, filled with a half-dozen pale brown dumplings.
"What are these?", he asked.
"Milk Tea and Dumplings", she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Have you never had them?"
"Uh... No", Shining said, grabbing one of the dumplings and plopping it into his mouth.
His eyes widened at the taste as he slowly began to chew the dumpling. The dough that surrounded the filling was thin and rubbery, yet in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant. The filling, however, was the star of the show. It was juicy and tender, broken up by smaller bits of things bearing other textures. Unlike some foods he had had back in Equestria, this one felt filling, as if it were designed specifically for him.
"Woah", he said. "These are really good!"
"Thanks", Ciaran said. "I'll make sure to tell my mother you said that."
As he levitated another dumpling into his mouth, he looked over at Ciaran, who was throwing a few spare logs into the stove in the center of the room. When she turned back towards him, he saw something on her cheek he hadn't really noticed before: A scar. It was a simple X-shape, with a third line running down the middle. "What happened?", he asked after he finished chewing.
"Huh?", she asked, before following the glow of his eyes to her cheek. "Oh. It's just my Mark", she replied, once again as if it was incredibly obvious. As she said that, she squinted at him, seeming to study his features. "Do... do you not have one?"
"I... I thought we couldn't get Cutie Marks?", he asked. He'd had to come up with a story in order to explain the addition of a cutie mark to his disguise.
"Couldn't get what?", Ciaran asked, before shrugging. "Know what, nevermind. You don't have a Mark?"
Shining, a lump of worry forming in his throat, asked, "Wait... that was done intentionally?"
"Yeah", she said. "We just call these Marks; it both serves as an identifier of what clan you come from as well as prepares foals for life here. It's not the easiest place to live, so a reminder of the pain that comes with life is needed. Every Clan has something like this. Some are simpler than this, while others can be... more noticeable." She sat down, seeming to really study him for the first time. "Where were you raised where you don't know this?"
"It's... a long story", Shining said.
The door opened, bringing with it the declaration of, "One I would like to here."
Shroud reentered the tent, accompanied by an even larger Umbrum. This Umbrum bore a great resemblance to Shroud, save for his coat being slightly darker and his eyes being a shimmering purple. The clothing he wore, however, was what set him apart. He wore a different kind of hat, being pointed with a black felt rim and strands of yellow running up that central point. A golden collar hung over the outside of his coat, while smaller strands of metallic chains ran across his upper forelegs and chest.
Ciaran backed away from Shining's bed, inclining her head to the larger Umbrum. "Shining", she whispered. "This is Betzalel Seite, the Clan Leader."
"Uh, Hello, Mr. Seite", Shining said, earning quizzical looks from all three of those present.
"Seite is a title, not a name", Betzalel said, identifying him as the earlier speaker. "Please, I have little that needs doing at the moment. Tell me, where are you from?"
Shining weighed his options. Recalling his earlier dilemma, he was well and truly stuck. With no way to escape, it wasn't like he could simply escape. He doubted he could get away with brushing it off or a simple lie, leaving only one option. "Ok then..."
~+~+~~|~~+~+~
Once his explanation concluded, the three Umbrum looked at one another. Betzalel stated, "You... hail from the South. The land of the Sun and Moon."
"Uh, yeah", Shining said, wondering if telling them was a good idea.
Shroud pointed over to the still-sleeping form of Sombra, asking, "And, that is THE Sombra?"
"Yes", Shining said. "Why?"
"If the Great Liberator is here, then the Ceannaire will want to-"
Shining couldn't help himself, interrupting Betzalel by exclaiming, "The what now!?"
"Sombra, the Great Liberator", Shroud said.
Ciaran said, "He's the one that freed us from our Imprisonment by the Crystal Ponies."
"And even if it is not him, the Caennaire will want to know about the return of the Crystal Empire", Betzalel said. With that, he turned and left, leaving Shining alone with the other two Umbrum.
"You call Sombra the 'Great Liberator'?", Shining asked.
Shroud said, "Of course. What else would we call the one that set us free?"
"He enslaved the entire Crystal Empire!", Shining said.
"Who cares about those Interloping dung-sniffers?", Shroud countered.
Shining stood up, ignoring the wincing pain in his side and said, "As Captain of the Royal Guard, it is my duty to care about everypony that is being mistreated or hurt."
Before Shroud could counter, Ciaran said, "Look, this is getting us nowhere." Shroud snorted, but backed off. "In the meantime, while the Seite works this out, I'll see if my family will extend guest rights to him. If not, we'll figure something else out. Alright?"
Shroud said, "Alright."
"That being said, Shining", Ciaran said. "I would suggest you keep some of your more... unpopular opinions to yourself. At least until you understand-"
"What's there to understand?", Shining asked. "You guys venerate a Tyrant!"
Ciaran glared at him, her eyes cold and dim. The expression startled Shining, who kept his mouth shut. "It's more complicated than that."
"Father said yes", Ciaran said, laying a pile of clothing next to him on the bed. "You will be welcome in our home."
"Ok", Shining said, throwing off the cover and examining the clothes. The largest of the pieces was a heavy, grayish-white coat similar to the ones worn by the other Umbrum he had seen so far. "What's this for?"
"So you don't freeze", Shroud said.
Shining sent a glare at Shroud, earning a sigh from Ciaran. "For once, Shroud isn't being a sarcastic dung-sniffer. Your coat is... well, it is worryingly thin."
"It's warmer down south", Shining countered. "I still have overheating problems in summer."
"And I don't doubt it", Ciaran said. "But, here? We wear these because it can still get cold for us up this far north. You're going to need one until your coat grows longer."
Shining almost commented how he didn't intend to stay long. That the only reason he was staying was that he doubted he could convince anyone to guide him south, and he didn't trust his sense of direction. That, as it stood, he didn't trust them and their reverence for an ancient tyrant. However, he didn't say that. Instead, he merely stood up fully, grabbed the jacket, and began to slip it on.
It was surprisingly heavy, lined with some kind of white fur. After pinning the buttons in place, Ciaran helped him secure a belt around his chest and down his back, helping to pin the cloth in place. He grabbed the heavy scarf and whirled it around his neck. Finally, he stepped into the leather boots, feeling his hardened hoof become surrounded by an interior of fur.
"I feel like I'm going to fall over", Shining muttered.
Shroud said, "You'll get used to it. We all did, trust me."
Ciaran went up to shroud, leading him off away from Shining while whispering. Shining couldn't hear what they were saying, not that he was focusing on what they were saying. He shifted around, getting used to the additional weight on his back and legs. Trotting in place, he became slowly accustomed to the weight. As he stopped, Ciaran came back over, beckoning him to follow her.
Lifting up the flap of the tent, he was surprised to see a simple wooden door as opposed to open air. Ciaran pushed it open before he could question it, trudging along behind her. She closed the door behind him, allowing him to take in the sight that greeted him.
Nestled beneath a bluff and hemmed in by a collection of tall, narrow trees stood the bulk of the village. Like the tent he had just emerged from, it was made from tents. They were round with conical roofs, often surrounded by a fence made of latticed wood. Umbrum, dressed similarly to him and Ciaran, moved through the crude lanes created by the mass of tents, carrying a variety of tools and supplies, or accompanied by wolf-like dogs.
As he stood, he was struck by what Ciaran said. It was noticeably colder than he had experienced earlier. While the falling snow now was only coming down in small ripples like light rain, he still felt his teeth begin to chatter slightly. "As I said", Ciaran said, smiling at him while seemingly oblivious to the strands of ice forming on the ends of her eyelashes. "Come on. My family's Ger isn't that far."
She moved through the layers of snow with practiced ease, slowing down slightly to allow Shining to keep up. He managed to keep straight as he moved, soon falling in behind her. She led him to one of the "ger", pushing open a simple gate and heading to the door.
"Father!", she called in as she opened the door. "Our guest is here."
"Ah", a new voice called. The source of that voice made himself known as Shining followed Ciaran in. This Umbrum was larger than even Betzalel, his pitch-black mane shaved to the coat in portions near his ears with a strand tied back. "Ciemny. A pleasure."
"Uh, likewise", Shining said, looking around the inside of the tent. Unlike the medical tent, this one was much more inviting in terms of decorations. Colorful ribbons hung from the ceiling as opposed to bones, while the designs carved into the wood were both more numerous and elaborate. Several chests sat along the perimeter, along with a barrel and a small shrine of sorts.
Like the main tent, a stove sat in the middle of the room, filling the room with a powerful scent and pervasive warmth. Another Umbrum sat next to it, stirring a large pot that emitted a... really good aroma. Ciemny said, "How soon until dinner is ready? Our guest is here!"
The other Umbrum turned to look at the two of them, giving them a smile. "Just a little bit longer", she said, her sparkling yellow eyes gleaming with a strange sense of calmness. "Ciaran, why don't you go get your little brothers? I think they're by the caves."
"Of course, mother", Ciaran said. Before she left, she placed a hoof on Shining's shoulder. "Relax. You're in good company."
"S-sure", Shining said.
As Ciaran left, Ciemny once again came into view. "Come, come", he said, gesturing to a low table opposite the entrance. "Sit down. We already have some tea."
Shining did so, seating himself next to Ciemny as he poured out the dull red liquid into a similar bowl-like cup from earlier. "So, Ciaran told us about your... predicament."
Shining re-upped his guard at the comment. "Yeah? And...?"
"And what?", Ciemny's wife asked.
Shining blinked. "I don't know. I was expecting, I guess, more-"
"More what?", Ciemny asked. "We can't condemn you for the fickle nature of the Spirits. Nor can I fault you for being raised away from our land. Sure, most will likely distrust you." He clicked his tongue distastefully before taking a sip of his tea. "Just the nature of things. But, what's the point of that? You're not an enemy, right?"
"No", Shining said. "To be frank... Equestria as a whole doesn't know that you... Well, that we exist."
Ciemny gave a small smile, his eyes seeming to dim despite it. "Well then. Anyway, as I was saying: If you're not an enemy to us, and pose no real threat, then there is no reason why we shouldn't at least treat you as a guest."
"Huh", Shining said, genuinely surprised. "Well, uh... What's for dinner?"
"Soup", Cienmy's wife said. "Goat, mushrooms, moss, and some bulbs. Along with some of the dumplings leftover from lunch and a bit of bread."
"Don't worry", Ciemny said. "My little Mrak makes some excellent soup. You'll like it."
Shining felt warm, not just from the heat emitted by the stove. It was the same pleasant heat that came to him when he was with his family on Hearths Warming, or when cuddling with Cadence. It was the warmth of being among something friendly or... familial. Company and companionship, with nice folk. "Alright then", he said, allowing himself to smile. Despite his reservations, maybe he could figure this out.
Shining cast a quick gaze at his host and his family as he reached for another helping of dumplings. In addition to him, his wife, and Ciaran, there were three additional Umbrum. Two of them were younger foals, both being relatively young and energetic. He didn't know how young, but only one of them had the distinctive Marks that every Umbrum had. The other was perhaps the biggest pony that he had ever seen. This stallion, Alastor, had a long dark tan mane parted by a long cut down the middle, and routinely gave Shining his own gaze with pale purple eyes.
"So, what's the South like?", the younger foal, Sable, asked.
The other one, Caliban, said, "I heard the South is covered entirely in grass. Is that true?
"Sort of", Shining said. "It's not as cold, so that allows grass to grow in more places."
The foals gave excited whispers, while Ciemny said, "Now now, children. Please don't bother our guest too much."
"No, it's fine", Shining said, stopping to take another spoonful of soup. "I really don't mind."
At his refutation of their father, the two foals let out a burst of questions. He was able to make out a few specific questions, such as the color, the animals, or things about his old home. Despite his brief laugh, he couldn't help but feel a brief pang of homesickness welling up in his throat.
"So, uh", Shining said, trying to distract both himself and the foals. "What do you do?"
"We herd goats", Alastor said. "We take them out into some of the spots where plants break through the snow and let them eat, then take them back. We do the same for some of the other families; they give us some things in exchange."
"How many?", Shining asked.
Alastor shrugged. "Between ours and some of the others, about seventy."
"Part of the reason we move every few months", Ciemny said, cutting in before Shining could ask another question. "The Spirits are generous, but even their gifts aren't infinite. When we move, we allow them to replenish their gifts, and so when we return, we are able to keep our living."
Ciemny's wife nodded, while Alastor shrugged and added a bit more soup to his bowl. "What about you?", Ciaran asked.
"I'm the Captain of the Equestrian Royal Guard", Shining Armor said, straightening up and smiling.
Alastor turned back to him, his eyes now gleaming with a bit of interest. "You're a Professional Soldier?"
"I wouldn't really call myself a Soldier", Shining said. "Equestria isn't really that... military-focused. I mean, it works, but my duties are mostly administrative and Law Enforcement."
Alastor nodded, seemingly a little bit sullen. Ciemny looked over at the stove behind Shining, sighing. "Ciaran, could you get some more wood? Fire's running a little low."
"No worries, father", Ciaran said, lifting her bowl to her lips and slurping down the broth.
"I'll give you a hoof", Shining said.
Cienmny said, "No, no! You don't need to."
"Don't worry; it's fine", Shining said. "I've been meaning to talk to her about something, anyway."
"Right", Sable snickered, joined by her brother.
"I'm married", Shining said, returning a snicker as he finished sliding on the heavy jacket.
The two of them moved outside, Shining following Ciaran. By now, the sun had gone down, the sky being a strange pattern together thanks to the gray of the shifting clouds and the dark blue of the sky that could be seen through it. Around behind the tent was a tall pile of wood and ice blocks.
Ciaran gave Shining an axe, pulling out a few logs. "We should only need a few", Ciaran said. "Enough time for you to ask me what you need."
"You said you'd tell me why Umbrum like King Sombra?", Shining said.
Ciaran froze, holding the axe above her head freezing. She looked at him, her thin features contorted in a look that Shining couldn't figure out. Worry? Contemplation, perhaps? "Right", she finally said, letting the axe fall and splitting the log down the middle. "I'll cut them into fourths, and you shave off the bark. I'll tell you the story."
After Ciaran split one of the half-logs in half again, she said, "We've lived here since... Well, for as long as we've been around. The North is our home, and the grace of the Spirits allows us to remain here."
"What does this-", Shining asked.
Ciaran cut in, "Just giving you a bit of context. Anyway, thousands of years ago, what you call the Crystal Ponies came here. We don't know why: Some kind of Invasion, plague? Anyway, they came here by the thousands. They took over prime grazing land, drove away prey, attacked foraging parties. Conflict was unavoidable."
"One side would raid the other", she continued, splitting another log down the middle. "We to try and drive them out, them to keep us away, or simply out of retaliation. It continued like that for years, until the Bright Ones created... something."
"Something?", Shining questioned.
Ciaran shrugged. "We call it the Infernal Sun. They called it something else. Crystal... something, I don't know; the Old Texts aren't really clear. Whatever the case, it emitted a light so bright and powerful, it could kill us. A burst of power, and hundreds or thousands would be dead in moments. They used this and some of their soldiers to hem us in. They would force us to flee from our old Keeps or ancient sites, or would massacre us the Sun."
Shining returned his gaze to the wood, shaving away the bark. He felt a chill run up his spine, despite the heavy coat he wore. "That... Princess Celestia didn't say this."
"Maybe she didn't know", Ciaran suggested. "Maybe she didn't care."
"That doesn't sound like her", Shining defended. "The Princess is the kindest pony you could ever meet. Besides, if she didn't care for Umbrum, why did she help me and my parents?"
Ciaran lowered the axe, looking to Shining. Her eyes seemed dim, while her lipless mouth was in a form that vaguely resembled a frown. "I don't know."
She swung the axe suddenly, the harsh impact causing Shining to jump. "Anyway, once they cornered us, they cast some kind of spell. It locked us in a void; a place not of light or of darkness, but of... stillness. Imagine being stuck in a ball, unable to move, and crammed in like pickled onions with thousands of others. That's at least how some of the ancients described it."
Shining shuddered, a sense of dread pounding in his skull at the thought. He'd always been uncomfortable with tight spaces, even if he disregarded his size being a factor. Something about them just rubbed him the wrong way, and so that description made him uneasy. However, as the thought ran through his mind, it left behind a thought; a potential answer to his question.
"Sombra freed you?", he ventured.
Ciaran nodded. "We don't really know how he escaped, but he was able to conquer the Crystal Empire. He used the Crystal Ponies to free us. However, your Princess' came, and he made us flee. His sister, Ira Ceannaire, swore we'd never forget him and what he did for us."
Ciaran gathered up the wood, holding the barkless logs next to her. "That's why we revere him. He set us free, and exacted vengeance against our Imprisoners." She then walked around him and went inside, leaving Shining alone with nothing but his thoughts.
Twilight huffed as she finally came down to the bottom of the stairs. "Whew! What was King Sombra's obsession with stairs?"
"You tell me", Spike said, gripping his knees as he let out his own ragged breath.
The two of them moved to the base of the citadel, Twilight being careful to keep the shining, heart-shaped crystal out of sight from the Crystal Ponies that milled around. She waved to Applejack, who stood near a covered plinth directly below the Citadel.
"What took ya so long?", Applejack hissed, lifting up one side of the cover to reveal the fake.
Twilight said, "Sorry. I got caught in a trap. It took me a while to get out. I sent Spike ahead, but-"
"I don't have long legs", Spike said, climbing on Twilight's back and taking the fake off its pedestal. "And Sombra had a fetish for stairs."
"Spike!?", Twilight hissed, taking the fake and passing Spike the real Crystal Heart with her magic. "Where did you learn that word?"
"Let's just say that Princess Celestia has some weird books in her personal library", Spike replied.
As he placed the blood gem upon the pedestal, the snowflake-shaped pattern beneath the citadel began to glow. Beams of blue light shot out as the Heat began to spin. All around them, the Crystal Ponies stopped what they were doing to watch, excitement overwhelming what remained of their despair. A dome of light expanded outward, causing the coats of all those it came into contact with to sparkle.
A beam of light shot up into the sky, multi-hued beams of light spreading outward and towards Equestria. Cheers and the stamping of hooves accompanied the low warbling of powerful magic. Twilight looked over to Applejack, both of them marveling at the gleaming crystalline coats.
"You look amazing, Applejack!", Twilight said.
Spike couldn't help but grin, looking around. "Yeah. This is so cool!"
The others soon joined them, Rarity giggling like a madpony as she gazed at her coat. "By the Princess'!", she cried. "I look absolutely fabulous!"
"Gotta admit", Rainbow said, twisting around in the air as she examined her coat and wings. "I could get used to this!"
"I'M SO GLITTERY!", Pinkie yelled, drawing a wave of laughter from her friends.
Twilight shared their smile, before it drooped. "I just wish Shining could see this."
The others dropped their own enthusiasm, looking to their sullen friend with sympathy. Fluttershy placed a hoof on her shoulder, saying, "We'll help you find him, Twilight. Don't worry."
"Yeah", Pinkie said. "We aren't just gonna help out at his wedding and then let him disappear on us!"
"No", a new voice said.
They all turned around, watching as Cadence made her appearance. None of them had seen her since their own arrival; after she had greeted them and given them a brief update, she had more or less secluded herself in the Citadel. Twilight, sharing her grief at Shining going missing, had thrown herself into preparing the Crystal Faire to try and ignore it.
"I'm not leaving my Shining out there with him", Cadence said, her harsh expression contrasting with the soft glow put off by her coat.
Twin flares of magic signaled the arrival of the Royal Sisters, who appeared near them. "We are sorry to hear about Shining Armor, but-"
"There is no 'but', Auntie", Cadence said, glaring at Celestia. "I don't care if I have to scour every inch of the Frozen North! I am going to find him!"
"My sister is not saying that we would hinder you in any way, Cadence", Luna said. "However, we cannot simply leave the Crystal Empire without a leader."
"Yes", Celestia said. "Sombra murdered the old Royal Family, and with him gone-"
"I don't care!", Cadence said. "You don't get it, do you!? I don't care about any of that! I just want my Shiny back!"
The Royal Sisters looked at one another, practically stunned into silence. Cadence continued to glare at them, eyes narrowed and nostrils flared. Twilight couldn't help but be reminded of Shining Armor when he was angry; the wrath of her brother when he was really mad was something she wouldn't wish on anypony.
"Princess, Cadence is right", Twilight said. "He's my brother. I'm not just going to abandon him. Especially not with Sombra still out there."
"Sombra lives?", Luna asked.
Cadence said, "He hasn't been seen since... since he took Shiny. Not even when the girls were trying to find the Crystal Heart or run the Faire."
"Very well", Celestia said. "We'll need to work this out better, but I can understand your desire to find him. My apologies for my callousness; I... I merely got ahead of myself."
"Besides, it shouldn't be too hard", Luna offered. "If we can get ahold of some of his fur or mane, then we can cast a spell to find him."
"No, we can't", Twilight said. As soon as the words left her mouth, she clamped both hooves over her mouth.
Everypony was staring at her, confusion adorning most of their faces. The exceptions were Cadence and Celestia, who wore looks that signaled both that they knew what she meant and shared her melancholy. "She's right", Celestia said. "Most tracking spells simply... won't work for my Captain."
"What do you mean, Princess?", Rarity asked. "It's just magic. Why wouldn't it work?"
"Most tracking spells are based around finding the life force of a creature", Celestia explained. "I'm afraid, that in Shining Armor's case, it simply won't be possible with those spells that exist."
"What are you saying, sister?", Luna asked. "Is Shining Armor... undead?"
"No!", Cadence said. "He's just... He isn't like other ponies."
Celestia held up a hoof, preemptively putting a halt to the wave of questions from both her sisters and the Bearers of the Elements. "Such things are perhaps better discussed inside. Come; Cadence, Twilight, and myself will explain everything." The three named ponies led the others up into the Citadel, the celebration of the Crystal Ponies echoing around them.
"Dad, we're out of ice!", Caliban said, closing the door as he entered the tent.
Ciemny sighed, muttering something to himself as he wrapped a scarf around his neck. "Great... Just great."
"I'll get some, father", Alastor said, sitting next to Shining as he pulled on his boots.
Shining himself let out a loud yawn, stretching his hooves above his head until he heard a satisfying crack. With that, he lowered them, the tension in his back easing. The mats that had been laid out on the floor of the tent provided a decent amount of padding, while the fur blankets were incredibly soft. That being said, they were far from the mattress he had back home.
"Alright, take Caliban and Sable", Ciemny said. "Your mother and I will take the Herd out. Ciaran."
"Yes?", Ciaran said.
Ciemny pointed to the central stove, then to one of the wooden barrels along the wall. "Wash the laundry, then prepare lunch for when we all get back."
"Of course", she said, already rummaging through a wooden chest.
Shining, finally breaking through his stupor and fully awake, began to pull on his loaned jacket. He asked, "What do you want me to do?"
Ciemny studied him, before shrugging. "Help Alastor and the young ones with the Ice", he decided. "Don't worry; he'll help you."
Alastor looked over at Shining, his look betraying his lack of enthusiasm for the idea. Still, he shrugged, grappling a broad-bladed spear. "Get the Sled, Sable", he said. "Caliban, saw, axe, and pliers. Shining... Just get dressed."
~+~+~~|~~+~+~
The task of gathering ice led Shining, Alasotor, and the younger foals outside of the encampment. Ciemny and his wife, as well as a large black dog, joined them for the first leg of the journey, leading their herd of goats out to graze. As they got clear of the trees and were greeted with the wide, open landscape of the frozen north, the two groups split off.
"So, why are we getting ice?", Shining asked, trailing behind Alastor with the younger foals.
Sable said, "To melt for water."
"Yeah", Caliban affirmed. "How do you get water?"
"We have... A system of pipes, linked up to a central reservoir", he said. "It just comes out of the tap."
"We can't do that in most places", Alastor said, adjusting the strap to the sled he dragged behind him. "We move too frequently. Plus, the ground is too cold in most places."
"Yeah", Sable said. "That's why all the big farms are at the Keeps. They have more space, and can soften up the ground to grow crops."
"So, if you can't farm...", Shining said. "Do you get all of your food from the Goats?"
"That, and hunting, fishing, or foraging", Alastor replied, once again adjusting the strap. "That's what Shroud and Ciaran were doing when they found you and Sombra, by the way."
"H-hunting?", Shining asked.
Alastor looked back at him. Even though Umbrum lacked eyebrows, he could almost see one being quirked. "Don't tell me you don't hunt."
Shining rubbed the back of his head, gritting his fangs as he recalled an old incident. "Well... there was this one time chased a squirrel around our backyard. Ended up... biting its head off before my parents found out." He lowered his hoof, averting his gaze from the others. "I... was really sad about it for weeks afterward."
"Why?", Sable asked. "It's just instincts."
"Yeah, but... In Equestria, animals are a lot more friendly and... I guess close to Ponies", he said. "It was... A bigger deal."
Alastor snorted, stepping around a rock before sighing. "Alright, we're here."
Looking around the large Umbrum, Shining felt his own metaphorical eyebrow raise. Ahead of them stood a stretch of flat ground, piled high with snow. While unusual in that it was completely flat, as opposed to the rough and rocky ground of most of the Frozen North, it was still simply another stretch of ground.
"I'm confused. Where is here?", Shining asked.
Alastor sighed, before pulling the spear out of the sled and continuing to walk. With the foals right on his hooves, Shining was left with no choice but to follow after them. As they walked, the ground here somehow felt... different. Less solid, a bit flexible; he couldn't quite put his hoof on it.
Alastor once again came to a stop a decent way into the flat ground. Alastor looked around, before nodding. "Alright. Here's good. Let's clear the snow out."
Using their horns, they began to throw clumps of snow away from a decent-sized patch of ground. Shining joined them, scooping up clumps of snow with his magic and throwing it away. Soon, they had uncovered a patch of solid ice, into which Alastor began to poke holes with the spear.
"This is a lake", Alastor said, cutting Shining off before he could even ask the question. "We get the ice from here."
"Gotcha", Shining said.
After Alastor made several holes, he threw the spear to Shining. He caught it with practiced ease, placing it into the snow next to him. Alastor took the axe from the sled, beginning to cut into the ice.
As he did so, Sable asked, "So, can you really get water whenever you want?"
"Yeah", Shining said. "Pretty much. We can even get hot water."
"Hot water?", Caliban asked. "Whenever you want?"
"Uh-huh", Shining said.
Alastor paused briefly from his work, commenting, "That does sound nice."
He resumed, working fast. Shining began to feel a chill working its way through his heavy coat, running across his spine and deep into his bones. Before it could grow to the point of shivering, Alastor finished, tossing the axe back into the sled and taking the Spear from Shining. "Alright, let's get started", he said. "Shining, help me get the blocks free. Caliban, Sable; you two get them into the sled."
Alastor used the spear, hooking them into the gaps between the cut-out blocks of ice. After a bit of prompting from Alastor, Shining lit up his magic. As Alastor created a wedge between the blocks of ice, Shining would use his magic and hooves to pull it free from a thin layer of ice still on the bottom. It broke free from the others, before the foals would pull it out and place it next to the sled.
They continued like that for what felt like hours. The cycle of movement helped to warm him up, but he was still cold enough to be distracted. Evidently, the others felt it too. He could hear a bit of shivering and chattering of fangs from the foals, and even Alastor seemed to be slowing down.
"Alright", Alastor said suddenly. "Let's take a break."
Shining looked at him, dazed for a moment, before he caught up with what he had said. He produced a thermos and a hunk of meat from a satchel, laying them out on one of the blocks of ice. Drawing a small knife, he began to cut out strips of the meat, passing them to his younger siblings.
"Here", he said, handing him a piece of the meat.
Shining said, "It's raw."
"It's also frozen", Alastor said. "Just eat it."
Shining took it, examining it. He couldn't tell what kind of meat, though he had never had to identify any kind of meat before. It was sliced thin, with a small cap of frozen fat at the top. Tentatively, Shining placed it in his mouth, beginning to chew.
It was... odd. The fact it was frozen gave the meat an odd bit of crunch, with the raw meat itself having a taste he wasn't used to. Still, he found that he didn't really hate it. "Interesting."
Sable held up a simple clay mug filled with steaming tea, which Shining gladly took. "It's important to take breaks and eat", Alastor said. "Helps you warm up. Plus, working on an empty stomach is always a pain."
"I hope Ciaran makes noodles for lunch", Caliban said, drawing agreement from his sister.
"Me too", Alastor said, before turning back to Shining. "Alright. Let's get back to it. I want to be back at our tent before Ciaran has a chance to drink all of the tea."
The door of the tent opened, with Alastor peeking his head in. "The Tsereg are here."
Everyone else in the room, including Shining, turned away from their lunch in order to look at him. Ciemny put down his plate, standing up. "Come on, Ciaran. Shining. I expect whoever they sent will want to see you."
"Right", Shining said, putting down his own plate and joining his hosts by the door.
The past few days had passed uneventfully; at least by the standards of the family he was housed with. For Shining, it differed heavily from his typical schedule. Of course, as the Captain of the Royal Guard, he was no stranger to strenuous work. Countless hours of drills and over a dozen training excursions had often left him exhausted and left him with a great deal of stamina.
That being said, the life of an Umbrum Herder was vastly different in its exercise and in its level of activity. As soon as they were all awoken by some unseen alarm clock, they would get to work. Despite breaks for rest and food being common, he still found himself exhausted after a day of performing the various tasks needed to keep warm, fed, and alive in this harsh land. Still, in a way, he found it... rewarding.
As he left the tent, he saw many of those still in the encampment were also out, watching the arrival of the newcomers. In front of him stood three massive sleds, each of them harnessed to massive dogs. The sleds exterior of the armor was covered in metal plates, while twin holsters near the front were filled with javelins.
Most of those arriving on the sleds appeared to be soldiers. Unlike the Royal Guard, who wore distinctive uniforms that separated them from the general populace, these Umbrum soldiers wore mostly the same thing as the villagers they were visiting. The exception was a segmented metal breastplate that extended up the neck and down the chest, with segmented plates running along the shoulders, back, and barrel. These were accompanied by armored plating on their boots and a fur-lined, conical helmet, possessing a set of leather neck guards and a three-pronged spike mounted on top.
By Shining's guess, there were about twelve soldiers. As they climbed off the sleds, they grabbed spears not too dissimilar to the ones that Alastor and Ciemny used for their own uses. Speaking of Alastor, he saw him watching the soldiers with interest. "What's up?"
"Nothing", he said, perhaps too quickly. A look from Shining sent him pawing the ground, his gaze drifting away from both Shining and his father. "It's... well, I've always looked up to the Tsereg."
"What exactly are they?", Shining asked.
Ciaran butted in, saying, "Each clan has a group of militia. In times of conflict, the Imperial Council can summon the to create a proper army. The Tsereg are the personal troops of the Ceannaire; the best of the best."
"Yeah", Alastor said.
The soldiers weren't the only ones who got off of the sleds; two others were assisted off of the sleds, coming to the front of the impromptu group. The first was an older Umbrum, a multi-colored shawl wrapped around his neck. His face was obscured by a large mask made from strands of cloth that was connected to a leather headband, adorned with beads and a pair of deer antlers. He was assisted in walking with a large, knarled wooden staff, the top of which was wrapped with cords, strips of fur, and feathers.
The other wore similar clothes to all of the others, save for a blood-red sash around her chest. She looked around, her gaze both nervous and anticipatory. She straightened up when Betzalel and several other clan leaders approached. They were too far away for him to pick up what they were saying, though he had seen plenty of meetings to get a feeling for basic introductions.
After a little bit, Betzalel looked around himself, finally laying eyes on Shining and Ciaran. He beckoned them over, lowering his head as he said, "Magistrate, this is Ciaran; she's an apprentice to our healer. And, this is Shining Armor, the one raised in the South I mentioned in my report."
Ciaran also inclined her head to the figure, prompting Shining to do the same. "Please, there's no need", she said, waving her hoof to get them to look up. She then stepped aside, allowing the older Umbrum to step forward. "This is Varjo Sanvaartan. He's here to confirm if the other Umbrum is really the Great Liberator."
"Of course", Betzalel said. "He's in our recovery tent. This way."
Betzalel led, weaving in between the tents and the other Umbrum, all of whom parted to allow them to pass. As they walked, he noticed that the Magistrate kept looking over her shoulder; at him, specifically. She tried to make the movement supple, obviously trying to avoid being seen. However, perhaps he in turn was too obvious with his own look at her, causing her to stop and look ahead.
Shining didn't really know why she was looking at him. Well, that wasn't really true; it was obvious there was some kind of interest in him, being an Umbrum raised in the south. But that didn't feel like the whole or only reason. Plus, that didn't explain a strange, nagging thought. One that commented on how she seemed somehow familiar...
They arrived at the tent not long after. It appeared unchanged since the last time he had been there, save for a pair of Umbrum wearing leather helmets and scale armor standing outside. Betzalel said, "You two are dismissed." The two guards nodded and left, allowing a pair of Tsereg soldiers to take their place. "After you, Sanvaartan."
The old Umbrum entered, followed by Betzalel and the other clan officials. Shining was about to join them before an aura of magic wrapped around his chest. "Wait", the Magistrate said. "Come with me."
"Why?", he asked, turning to look at her.
She met his gaze, her glittering blue eyes resolute. "We have our own matters to discuss."
The Magistrate led Shining away from the medicinal tent, tracing her steps back through the settlement towards the woods. Shining moved a bit slower, eyes shifting around. What was going on? "Why are we going this far?", he asked, causing the Magistrate to stop.
She sighed, before continuing her trot. Left with no real choice, Shining put on a bit of speed, catching up to her as she moved past the last tent. Shining came to a stop, subconsciously gazing around to see if any of the soldiers were around. When the nearest one he saw was staying with the sleds, he relaxed slightly, before turning back to the mare.
Not that she had stopped, he was able to get a better look at her. Her jacket was a gray-green, with embroidered yellow trim and a pair of small red tabs on her collar. In addition to the red sash, she had a dark blue scarf and thick brown boots. She lowered the scarf, showing off her face. Her black-furred features weren't quite as thin as most of the Umbrum he had seen, as well as a long, dark blue mane and reddish-yellowish eyes. Instead of a basic cut, her "Mark" appeared to be three sets of fangs grafted into her lower jaw.
"I apologize for the confusion", she said. "Your case is quite... unique, and I have taken a personal interest."
"And what is that supposed to mean?", Shining asked.
She didn't answer him, instead simply looking him over. He felt like he was being inspected on the parade ground, and it took all of his years of training to avoid shirking away. She noticed the strain in his own gaze, before ceasing her close inspection and began to stand less straight. "Are you a soldier?"
"Royal Guard", he said. "I'm the Captain."
"Impressive", she said, before cocking her head. "Does that mean those in the South know you're an Umbrum?"
Shining let out his own sigh, saying, "Only a few. My immediate family, Princess Celestia... My wife."
"You're married?", she asked.
Shining said, "Yeah. Less than a month. We were interrupted in our honeymoon in order to come here."
"What's a-You know what, never mind. Why exactly did you come here?"
He was expecting that question. That didn't necessarily mean he had an answer for it, though. Given the hostility shown to the Crystal Empire, he doubted she would take the truthful answer very well. "Why all the questions?", he asked, trying to divert her focus.
She stayed silent for a moment, her features seeming to lose the featureless, emotionless mask that she wore. "Like I said. Interest. You're the only Umbrum to have been raised outside of our homeland since the Great Liberator. Not as drastic as being raised by the Bright Ones, granted. However, you still get this interest."
"Yeah", Shining said. "I guess... I guess I just never really thought about it."
"About what?", she asked.
Shining said, "Considering myself special. I mean, of course I knew I was different. You don't grow up having to wear a disguise charm in order to go out in public."
She stiffened, before relaxing again. "I see. So... You never wondered... Where you came from?"
"Of course I did", Shining said. "Just... didn't put too much thought into it. Not like I could have done anything; we're basically unknown in Equestria."
She didn't speak, once again resuming her studying of him. "Show me your left front hoof."
Shining tilted his head, lifting up the hoof. She turned it over, exposing a small patch of white fur clashing with the slate-gray; the only natural section of white fur on his body. "What is it?", he asked, before she revealed her own front left hoof. Twisting it over, she revealed a patch of white fur, almost perfectly mirroring his own. He stared at it, speech stunned from his throat. "Wh-what?"
"I found you", she said, her voice soft. "You were alive, and I found you... brother."
"How...?", Shining questioned.
The magistrate said, "I can't believe it. I found you!" She let go of his hoof, turning to the cluster of trees. "Thank you, Great Spirits! Thank you!"
Shining could only stare, even as she fell into the snow, muttering something that was inaudible to him. He wasn't sure if she was simply speaking quietly, or if the faint ringing in his ears drowned her out. She backed away from her, eyes locked firmly on her.
She stood up, turning around. The smile that graced her face dropped instantly, replaced by concern. "I... I'm sorry. I know this is a lot, and-"
"You think!?", Shining said. "I... Are you certain? How do you know?"
"We're twins", she said, speaking slowly. "We both were supposed to have that mark. Plus, you look like this painting our parents had done after we were born. Oh, Spirits, dad..."
Shining shook his head, gritting his teeth. "What... So what now?"
The magistrate opened her mouth to speak, before snapping it shut. "You're expected to return with us to Sombrashaven."
"What?", Shining said. "What do you mean, 'expected to return' with you?"
"I mean, my personal interest was why I volunteered for this", she said. "In any case, the Council is going to take an interest in an Umbrum raised outside of our domain. It's just..." She sighed once again, before continuing. "I can discuss things with my superior; you'd be staying with me and our father, and-"
"I get it", Shining said. "I... I need to think."
"That's fine", the magistrate said. "I get this is a lot to take in."
"Right", Shining said. "I'll talk to you later, uh..."
Realizing her mistake, she let out a nervous giggle. "Sorry. Blackout. My name is Blackout."
Sombra's identity had been confirmed while Shining had been talking... with his sister, and the Imperial group had plans to return to Sombrashaven the next morning. In the meantime, a celebration was being held by the settlement.
A large fire roared in the center of a small clearing, a whole goat turning over it on a massive spit. Other dishes were being roasted around it, as well as other dishes beyond them being steamed or fried on other stoves. Music filtered over the assembled Umbrum, while small groups danced to the pounding of drums and strange string instruments. Groups of Umbrum were talking, tending to the food, or otherwise occupied with other tasks.
Shining sat alone at the edge of the circle, eyes fixed on the blazing fire. He was lost in thought, not really thinking about the party being held for the creature that attacked him and his wife. He was focused on one thought alone: His family.
He had just met somepony whom he was physically related; his own sister! And she told him that he had more family he could meet. But... what did that make his LSBFF? What did that make Spike? What did that make his parents? No, that wasn't it. After thinking it over, he came to the conclusion that his opinion of them hadn't really changed: They were still his family. What he came to realize was-
"You ok?", a voice drew him out of his reverie. Ciaran and Shroud sat down next to him, each giving him comforting looks. Or, at least, trying to. Even after being around them for a few days, he still found the features both hard to read and disconcerting.
"Yeah, yeah", Shining said, straightening up somewhat.
Shroud snickered, saying, "I've lied enough myself to know that's a lie."
"What is that supposed to-"
Ciaran cut in, saying with no lack of satisfaction, "Our Seite's little imitation used to be a bit of a hothead."
"Let's just say I've done a few stupid things that went against my father's wishes, and leave it at that", Shroud said. "But, enough about me. We're focusing on you."
"Yeah", Ciaran said. "So, what's eating you?"
"I'm... thinking", he finally said.
Shroud said, "And water freezes. You don't really do subtle."
"Shroud", Ciaran warned.
He held up his hooves in a mock surrender. "What?"
Shining held up his hooves, this time in a placating gesture to both of them. "Look, you don't need to do this. I'm fine; Just... Like I said, just thinking."
"About what?", Ciaran asked, not showing signs of relent.
Shining sighed, lowering his head. "Not gonna give up, are you?"
"We look after each other", Shroud said. "Like it or not, you're an Umbrum. So, we're just looking out for you."
"Alright then", Shining said. "Fine. It's just... My family; the one I have back in Equestria, I mean."
"Ah", Shroud said, throwing the contents of a small white cup down his throat. "Makes sense."
"Really?", Shining asks.
Shroud looked at him as if he had turned into a normal unicorn. "Well, yeah. From what Ciaran has said, you were more or less thrust into all this. Makes you wonder about your relationship with them, right?"
"That's... close, but not it", Shining said.
It was Shroud's turn to look bewildered. "No? Then what?"
With a sigh, Shining pointed. The Seite and the visiting officials sat on a low table, eating from several plates of food. Among them, sat his sister. "Magistrate Blackout?", Ciaran asked, earning a nod from Shining. "What about her?"
"Turns out, she's my twin sister", he said.
Shroud spewed the contents of a second cup across the snow, earning the young stallion glances and annoyed remarks. He looked back up at Shining, coughing and sputtering. "What?"
Ciaran shared a similar look of surprise. "Really? That's certainly a coincidence. How'd you find out?"
"She took the assignment to come here", he said. "She was hoping it was me. She hasn't told me the full story, but I was somehow separated from them when I was younger."
"Yeah", Shroud said, wiping his jaw. "But what does that... Oh. Oh!"
Shining nodded, suddenly developing a keen interest in the snow. "I mean, what does that make... Well, either of them? My family back home; Canterlot, I mean. My parents, my little brother, my LSBFF-"
"You're what?", Ciaran asked. "Is that some kind of pet?"
"No", Shining said, perking up a bit. "It's an abbreviation. It means 'Little Sister Best Friend Forever'."
Both of the Umbrum looked at each other, and then at him. "What's an abbreviation?"
"Really?", Shining asked, looking at both of them individually, before sighing and shaking his head. "Never mind. My little sister. I mean, what do I tell my wife?"
"Hey, family is family", Shroud said. "Think of it like finding out you're related to someone in another clan. You've just added to your family."
"I guess", Shining said.
Ciaran placed a hoof on his shoulder. "Hey. We'll give you a hoof."
"We've already saved your sorry flank", Shroud agreed. "Might as well go all in, eh?"
~+~+~~|~~+~+~
The next morning, Shining awoke even before his host family. He looked around the interior of the tent, before sighing and beginning to pull on his boots.
He stepped outside, being careful to close the door as quietly as possible. Even this early, a few were moving about taking care of basic chores. The frozen air bit at the sections of exposed fur, while the faint glare of the sun bounced off of the snow. He sighed, his breath forming mist in the air.
As he stood there, he heard the crunching of several boots on snow. Looking deeper into the collection of tents, he saw some of the Tsereg soldiers leading a delirious-looking Sombra out towards the sleds.
Sombra had changed since Shining had last seen him clearly. Many of the small cuts and patches of matted fur were gone, and it looked as if he had recently taken a bath. Instead of his dented regalia and torn cape, he was dressed in similar clothing to Shining, save for the addition of a fur cloak wrapped around his back. He wasn't quite as thin, and his eyes no longer flickered.
While looking healthy, it was obvious he was still somewhat unstable. His movement was erratic, despite the soldiers helping to move him. His head was permanently held at one angle, bobbing up and down like a rubber ducky in a bathtub. As he passed Shining, he could make out something the former tyrant muttered under his breath: "Mother. Mother?"
They passed by him quickly, with one of them stopping as they did so. Recognizing Blackout, he said, "Are we leaving?"
"Not yet, though soon", she said, her voice still possessing a nervous lilt. "Got to leave early to get as much movement before nightfall. Just getting the Liberator to the sleds beforehand. He's... Well, the Bright Ones were cruel in his imprisonment."
"Nothing under 'U'", Pinkie Pie said, popping out from behind one of the numerous bookshelves. "Nothing under the 'S' either."
"Why were you checking under the 'S' section?", Twilight asked.
Pinkie narrowed and shifted her eyes back and forth, crouching into a lower stance. "Shadow Ponies."
Twilight couldn't help but to facehoof. "Pinkie, my brother isn't a Shadow Pony. That means Sombra probably isn't one either."
"Ah still can't believe yer brother is the same species as Sombra", Applejack said, putting another book back on its shelf. "Never woulda thought."
Twilight sat down at one of the crystal tables that filled the library. After the discussion with her friends and Princess Luna about her brothers' true nature, the search for information had begun. Not much was known about Sombra, nor the Umbrum in general. While the Princesses went down to check Sombra's Quarters in order to find information, the six of them had come to the Imperial Library in order to look for information that might help them find either of them. So far, that search had turned up nothing.
"It's not like it changes anything", Twilight said. "He's still my brother."
"Of course, darling", Rarity said, pulling out and checking another book. "It's just... Well, we've never heard of Umbrum before this, and it was a bit of a shock."
Rainbow Dash came down from her flight, landing next to the table. "Nothing on the top shelves. 'Least nothing about this."
Before any of them could say anything, a set of approaching hooves caught their attention. Amythest Maresburry, the librarian, came around one of the bookshelves, smiling at the group. "Oh, hello dears", she said. "What can I do for you?"
"Do you have anything on Umbrum?", Spike asked, only to be met with a glare from Twilight.
Amythest's calm smile was replaced by a worried frown. She cast her head around, before leaning forward and whispering. "Pray tell, why do you want to know more about... Them?"
The Element Bearers and Spike exchanged looks, a silent debate going on between them. Finally, Twilight turned back to Amythest and replied, "We're looking for any information we can on King Sombra. We... still don't know what happened to him."
"Ah", the elderly mare said. "Well, I'm afraid you won't find much in the main library. Follow me; I'll take you to the Archive."
Following behind her, she led them back toward her desk by the front of the Library. They passed several other Crystal Ponies, who flashed smiles and sent friendly waves in their direction. As the ones who restored the Crystal Heart and arranged the first Crystal Faire in a long time, they were well-liked among the locals.
Behind the desk, they found a camouflaged door, which Maresburry opened with a simple key. She led them into a small room, filled to the brim with cabinets and shelves. Leading them to the back of the room, she opened one of those cabinets, rooting through the papers.
After a moment, she pulled a collection of leather-bound books and loose papers out of the cabinet. Passing them to Twilight, she said, "These are some old reports from the Crystal Guard and a few anatomical reports. I'm afraid this is all we have left."
"What do you mean, 'all you have left'?", Fluttershy asked.
Amythest Maresburry sighed, lowering her head. "After Ki-After Sombra staged his coup, he had most of the books about Umbrum brought to him. Historical records, Speculative Texts; even some foals books. After a few days, he had them... Burned."
"Burned!?", Twilight yelled, face absolutely aghast.
She nodded somberly. "He called them slander and lies. He laughed as his Mercenaries set them ablaze." She sucked in a deep breath, letting out a slightly wheezing breath.
"W-well", Twilight said, still reeling from the revelation. "How much can you tell us? Surely, you remember something."
Amythest sighed, nodding ever so slightly. "Of course. Even when you get to my age, you don't readily forget. But, perhaps we should go outside? I don't know about you, but I don't think standing around in this dusty room would be the best place to explain."
"Ditto", Rainbow Dash said, wiping a dusty hoof on her coat.
With agreement from the others, they made their way out of the archive. They circled back up the second floor, finding an unoccupied table to sit at. As Amythest sat down shakily, she said, "Sorry. I'm not as spry as I used to be."
"No worries", Applejack said. "Shoot, mah granny is one a' the toughest mares ah know, and she's pushin' a hundred."
Amythest laughed, before leaning back in the seat. Once again, her smile faded into a small, tight frown. "Well... It's been a while, but I remember the basics. Our ancestors came here, fleeing from Discord as he ravaged Equestria. They... What are you doing?"
All eyes fell on Twilight, who met them with quick, jerking motions. Her eyes fell on the scroll and pen she had summoned, before letting out a nervous giggle. Spike said, "Don't mind her. Tell Twilight not to take notes during a story is like telling a fish to stop swimming."
"Hey!", Twilight said, before sighing. "That's fair. Anyway, go on."
"Right", Amythest said, clearing her throat before continuing. "Anyway, our ancestors founded several settlements, carving out a home in this place. The initial plans were to stay here until Discord was stopped, but... Well, this became our home. We just didn't know this was also the Umbrum's home."
"They attacked us without warning", she said, removing her glasses. "They would... Surround whatever they sought to attack, and tear it to pieces. They were compared to wolves; ravenous beasts that showed no mercy."
Fluttershy seemed to fold herself behind her mane, a nervous look on her face. "W-why?"
"We don't know", Amythest said. "Maybe they wanted us to leave. Maybe they just wanted us dead. All I know, is that it led to almost a decade of near-constant conflict. Conflict that claimed the life of our first Empress's consort. Using her grief, and her continued love for her people, she created the Crystal Heart."
"As you know, it is an artifact powered by strong love. The love of her ponies, as well as her love for them, created a force that could slay the Umbrum. Love like that; it was an anathema to them. She used to protect us, and eventually banish the Umbrum. It became our sword, and then, after the war was over, it became our shield."
"But, what happened afterward?", Twilight asked. "How did Sombra end up here?"
"That, I'm afraid no one knows", Amythest said, shrugging her shoulders. "We don't know how any Umbrum got out, let alone as a foal, like he was when he was found. After that... Well, I don't know. None of the Crystal Ponies really know what Sombra had us do... But I shudder to think about it."
Shining gripped the side of the sled for dear life, the speed of the wind pushing against him. Combined with the speed of the sled, creating resistance against him coming from both directions. While he wasn't in that much danger of falling out the back, the speed was unnerving for him.
Despite the cascade of snow falling onto him and the other Umbrum gripping the sled, the sky was clear enough to allow him a good view of his surroundings. The three sleds sped across the landscape, gliding over the freshly fallen snow and kicking up waves of mist in their wake.
After clearing the small wooded area around the Umbrum encampment, the sleds had entered into the wide open plains of the Frozen North. Mounds of snow, exposed rocks, and the occasional plant whipped by so fast he could barely see them. It all seemed to blur together, as if he were flying at high speeds.
Shining lowered himself back into the sled, shifting his hind legs around the tightly packed blanket that occupied the middle of the sled. The metal-plated appeared bigger on the outside, especially as he, Shroud, and Ciaran were crammed into the sled with several of the Tsereg. Another stood towards the front of the sled, holding the reins to the dogs that pulled it.
Shining looked at the Tsereg, studying them as if they were his own troops. Most now wrapped heavy scarves and goggles around their faces, which combined with their helmets to give them an emotionless gaze. Their spears rested against one wall of the sled, leaving them merely sitting. None of them made any voluntary movement nor said anything; if not for their breathing and rigid posture, he would have thought them asleep.
Shroud, on the other hoof, actually was asleep. How he could manage it with the howling wind, Shining didn't know. Ciaran was occupied with a small scroll, reading through the unusual symbols that covered its surface. Once again, despite being surrounded by his own kind, Shining was left alone to think.
A part of him hated this isolation. While he only had a small friend group, he was a very social stallion. He enjoyed being around others, whether his family, his small group of friends, and especially his wife. Yet, here he was, and he couldn't really connect with his own kind. Sure, he made friends with Ciaran, Alastor, and to an extent Shroud, but... He didn't know.
And that especially vexed him.
As he leaned forward and held his head in his hooves, his ears twitched. With a start, he realized that the sled was beginning to slow. Once again peaking over the top of the sides, he saw that the other two sleds were doing the same, the drivers reigning in the dogs who slowed their pace.
He also saw what was likely the reason. Up ahead, sitting along a small outcropping of rock, stood a building surrounded by a high wall. It looked similar to the tent he had been staying in with Ciaran's family, save for it being much larger and made from stone. The roof was sloped heavily, a small column of smoke rising out of the steep dome at the top. Sections of the wall that weren't plastered with frost displayed intricate murals, colored various shades of red and green in a pattern he didn't recognize.
A heavy iron gate was raised, allowing the sleds to be marched into the interior. A few small buildings dotted the inside of the wall, though most of the land was still taken up by the main building that was visible over the wall. As some of the Tsereg tended to the dogs, everypony else when inside. Shining, somewhat unsure as to what was going on, followed them.
The inside was similar to the interior of the tents the structure visually resembled. The main floor was dominated by a large furnace in the center, a metal pipe sending the smoke of the fire up and out of the building. Around it were several low tables and mats, as well as what appeared to be a few games of some sort. A staircase wrapped around the interior, leading up to an unseen second floor.
Shining was taking in the wall-mounted tapestries and icons hanging from the ceilings when, from a door behind at the far end, emerged an Umbrum mare. She wore an apron of sorts over her long coat, her mane tied back under a bandana. "Welcome, Magistrate!", she called, bowing slightly. "I'm honored to have your presence here."
"I accept your welcome, and return goodwill", Blackout said, returning the bow.
"Make yourselves comfortable", the mare said. "I shall prepare food and drinks for you."
With that, she returned to the backroom she had emerged from. The soldiers removed many of their heavy garments, even removing their helmets as they sat down. Shining leaned over to Ciaran, who was doing the same, asking her, "What is this place?"
"Waystation", Ciaran said. "There's one every fifty miles on a route between each of the major keeps. It's so messengers have a safe place to rest and recuperate."
Shining looked back through the room, finally sitting down at one of the tables. His sister, who had been speaking to one of the soldiers, turned around and, seeing him, moved to sit down across from him. Sombra, still somewhat dazed, was led to another one of the tables.
"You don't trust the Great Liberator?", Blackout asked.
Shining looked to her, not even realizing that his gaze had been following the muttering stallion. "To be fair, he did attack me and my wife."
"Right", she said. "Betzalel explained that to me. I... Well, I suppose anything that I say would be of little comfort, right?"
"About him?", Shining said, cocking his head to the former tyrant. "Yeah, pretty much."
"Then I won't try", she said, pulling out a small pouch. She opened it up, removing a few... Were those bones?
"Shagai", she said, picking up on his gaze. "We use them to play games. Each of the sides has a symbol, representing different values depending on the game."
"So like dice?", Shining asked, a little excitement in his voice.
It was Blackout's turn to stare at him. "What are-"
"Little cubes with dots on them", Shining explained. "Generally numbered one through six, though higher numbers do exist."
"Huh", Blackout said. "I guess so. Anyway, I figured we'd give the dogs and the drivers some rest and get some food in us, and this might be a good way to pass a bit of time. What do you say?"
"Sure", Shining said. "I'm pretty good at dice games."
~+~+~~|~~+~+~
"What!?", the soldier half-barked, gazing down at the empty pools of shagai that had been assembled on the corners of the table. His gaze shifted down to the pile of shagai in front of him, and then the bigger pile in front of Shining. "How did you...?"
"Years of practice", Shining said, grinning. The response drew howls of laughter, and the exchange of small pouches or items, between the other onlookers.
Shroud placed a hoof on his shoulder, grinning like a wolf. "Damn. You're pretty good at these, huh?"
"I wouldn't say that", Shining said. "Dice, mostly. I cannot, for the life of me, play Cards."
"Are all southerners this good at these kinds of games?", one of the soldiers asked, sullenly handing another a pouch.
Shining shrugged, "Sort of. We play them a decent amount, at least. Why? Are they not here?"
"Of course they are", Ciaran said.
Blackout tilted her cup towards him, giggling as she added, "We just don't have much time in order to play them. There is always something to be done."
"That's a shame", Shining said, before looking down at the collection of shagai. "Well, any other takers?"
The next day, the dogs were reattached to the sleds and the journey toward Sombrashaven continued. Now, though, instead of cutting through the barren, snow-covered steppe, they followed a series of stone poles sticking above the snow. They were spaced every mile or so, creating a guide toward the city.
Shining saw the mountain before he saw the city. It towards up towards the sky, emerging from the frozen wind like a jagged, rocky ship. Unlike most of the mountains he had seen in the distance, this one was not quite as steep or as covered in snow. Sections of it were completely bare, or at least appeared to be from the distance they were at, only covered by a light dusting of snow.
Shining then saw the city as the mountain became clearer. It was nestled on a small plateau, what he had simply mistaken as more of the mountain being, in fact, a wall carved from the stone of the mountain. Even from this distance, he could make out the faint glow of braziers and the small shapes of guards moving along the wall. A few buildings peeked out over the top of the wall; most of them possessed heavily sloping roofs and a simple, somewhat blocky design. The exception was a large fortress leaning against the mountain, its own squat wall and jutting towers easily visible.
The final thing he noticed was the two routes connecting the city to the steppe. The first was a winding road, snaking around a part of the mountain and winding up toward one wall. The other was a large wooden elevator, secured to its frame by black iron chains and its movement powered by large, heavy gears. Both of these paths originated behind a solid-looking wall possessing a receded gatehouse and patrolling sentries.
As they approached, a few of the sentries moved to the front of the gate, looking down at them from beneath wide-brimmed helmets. As the sleds came to a halt beneath the shadow of the wall, one of them called out, "Who goes there?"
"Magistrate Blackout", Blackout returned, standing up in her sled to meet the sentry's gaze. "I am returning from a mission with the Great Liberator himself!"
The guards looked at one another and exchanged inaudible words, before one of them ran into the gatehouse. Soon, the clanging of chains was heard as the gate swung open just enough to allow the sleds to enter.
The inside of the wall was lined with several structures, framing a large, snow-filled courtyard. Shining recognized one of the buildings as a large dog kennel, and soon recognized a second as a barracks. One of the soldiers came down from the wall, leaning a rather large axe over one shoulder. "Welcome back, Magistrate."
"It is good to be back, Aravyn", she said as she dismounted the sled. "Are you taking us up the lift?"
"Of course", the soldier said, before looking over the Magistrate to Shining, Ciaran, and Shroud. "Who are they?"
"My...", Blackout began, before cutting herself off. "An individual of interest, let's just say. He's also how we found the Great Liberator. I'm afraid that's all I can tell you."
"Come on", he said, adjusting the axe slightly. "It's my job to know these things, Magistrate..."
"Is there something I'm not getting?", Shining asked, stepping forward and shooting the soldier a dirty look.
Blackout sighed, before gesturing to the soldier, "Shining, this is Aravyn Ozul. He's in charge of the Clan Militia who oversee the main gate into Sombrashaven. Aravyn, this is Shining Armor."
"Weird name", Ozul said bluntly. "Anyway, just making sure, Magistrate. You know how this works, and the Tsereg with you will be able to get you back up. Have a good one." With that, he marched back up the steps.
"You ok?", Shining asked.
Blackout said, "I'm fine. Ozul and I have... Well, we've never gotten along. Come on."
Shining joined the rest of the group as they moved toward the elevator. A few of the Tsereg broke off to move the dogs and the sleds into storage, while the rest fell in behind Blackout. Shining stepped around two of them assisting Sombra, who now looked more steady on his hooves. He gave a curious look to the former tyrant, who returned him a quizzical one.
Blackout's status allowed them to bypass the guards at the base of the elevator, allowing them direct access to the powerful machine. They climbed onto the heavy wooden platform, the chains rattled as they moved around the heavy gears and began to raise the platform.
Shining looked straight ahead, watching as the backside of the wall was soon replaced by the expansive view of the frozen tundra. The platform raised in elevation more and more, soon allowing him to gaze far into the distance. The posts that marked the trail to the gate grew smaller and smaller, as did the stones and trees that occasionally broke through the flat steppe. Finally, the view was once again obscured by a wall as the elevator finally ground to a halt.
Turning around, Shining was surprised to see another group of Tsereg, as well as an Umbrum in similar garb to Blackout. The main difference was in the coloration of his jacket, as well as a thin strip of golden silk running down the center of his sash. "Magistrate Blackout, I trust your mission went well?"
"Magistrate Penumbra?", Blackout stammered, seemingly thrown off of her game. However, she quickly recovered, inclining her head to her superior. "Yes sir."
"And?", he prompted, looking over her to the group. "Were the rumors true?"
"Indeed they were", she said. "It is indeed him."
She stepped aside, allowing Sombra to take a few tentative steps forward. He had traded his tattered cape and corroded armor for a simple yet well-made jacket, which still seemed oddly natural on the Umbrum. "Wh... What is this?"
"Home, great one", Penumbra said, this being his turn to incline his head. The other Tsereg did the same, to which Sombra responded with wide eyes. Shining was stunned; what was he expecting? Hadn't he been a King previously? "Please, allow us to bring you somewhere comfortable, my lord. Surely, you must be tired."
"Y-yes...", Sombra said, still seemingly taken aback.
As some of the Tsereg led the bewildered tyrant off, Penumbra turned back to Blackout and the others. "You are dismissed, Magistrate. Have a wonderful day with your brother."
"Yes, Magist-Wait. How did you know?"
Penumbra smiled, flashing a tooth made of a glimmering Blackstone. "I pride myself on reading other creatures, Magistrate. Let's just say I can read you like an open scroll. Have a good day." With that, he wheeled around on his hooves, marching off after the other soldiers.
"Spirits as my witness, everyone here is so nice", Ciaran said, sarcasm dripping from her voice.
Shroud blew air through his fangs, saying, "Urban Clans for you." Both Shining and Blackout shot him glares, resulting in him pinning his ears back. "Sorry. Anyway, what now?"
Blackout took a deep breath, before looking over at Shining. Her expression was a combination of concern, contemplation... and excitement. "I say... Let's go home."
Blackout led them through the city streets, weaving through the other Umbrum that marched through them. Shining couldn't help but gaze around as they did so, conscious of his surroundings only so far as not bumping into anything.
It felt like Canterlot, though at the same time it wasn't. The streets were narrower, made even smaller by the stalls that lined the curb. Even with only a few other Umbrum out and about, it felt incredibly cramped and closed together. Many things were being hawked on those stalls: statues made of bone or wood, various foodstuffs, weapons. The buildings were simple in construction, with smaller, personal marks on the walls that differentiated them from one another. It felt so familiar and yet so different.
Fortunately, Blackout led them off of the main street into one of the smaller side streets. This street was much less crowded, lacking the stalls and crowds. The lack of other Umbrum also allowed him to get a better look at the buildings themselves. They were made from black stone, the overall design being quite simple and blocky. The main difference was the roof, which had an aggressive slope to it that allowed snow to flow off of it. Even as he watched, an Umbrum was scraping some snow off with a large spade.
Blackout led them to one of the buildings, pulling out a small key and opening the door. "You live here?", Ciaran asked.
"Yeah", Shroud asked. "I thought government people lived in the Palace?"
"No, just the emissaries and ruling family", Blackout said. "Besides, dad's a... Dad likes to live simply, let's just say. Even if both of us can afford a bigger home, he's not gonna take it."
Blackout held up the door, allowing the others to enter. Like the exterior, 'simple' was what best described the interior of the building. A basic foyer, with a single staircase leading up to other floors and another door leading out back. Following his sister, Shining and the others were led upstairs, finally coming to a stop on the fourth floor.
"Stairs...", Shroud said derisively. "What is the city clan's obsession with stairs?"
"You try cramming a few hundred Umbrum into a space this size", Blackout countered, fumbling for another key.
Shroud snorted, "I haven't. That's your problem."
"Not my fault we can't have proper forges and simplified communications without static settlements", Blackout retorted. "Look, can we not argue in front of my dad? My brother, for that matter?"
"Hey, I don't mind", Shining said. "One of my teammates at the Academy was pretty much the same way. Not the subject matter, of course, but... Well, you know."
"Blackout?", a voice called. "Is that you?"
"Yes, father!", she called, stepping in and waving her hoof for the others to follow.
The source of the voice appeared in the small hallway. It was an older Umbrum, about the age of his father...
Shining couldn't help but wince. This technically was his father, right? The Umbrum had grayish fur, somewhere in between his and blackouts in color. His mane was a bluish-black, combed straight back, while his eyes were a pale blue, much like his own. The three rows of fangs were embedded in his jaw, just like Blackout, and he wore a simple tunic as opposed to the heavy coat worn by the others.
"Good to see you again", he said. "What is..."
He stopped, staring past Blackout. At him.
Shining could only stand there, not really sure what to do. This was his father; his rea- His biological father. What did that make...
Shining was drawn from his reverie by the stallion asking, "Blackout? Is... Is it-"
"Yes", she said, breathlessly. "It's him."
"My son", the stallion breathed. He took tentative steps forward, as if he was afraid Shining would disappear if he approached too quickly. "You're alive."
"I...", Shining spoke, before clamping his mouth shut. He didn't have anything to say. No, that wasn't it. He just didn't know what to say.
"You're alive", he said again. "Thank the spirits, you're alive."
Shining squeezed his eyes shut, tensing up before letting it all out in one big, heavy sigh. "I'm sorry. I... I need air."
Shining turned and headed out the door, not even noticing his friends stepping aside to let him pass. He also barely comprehended the voices that followed him as he left; both those directed at him and those that weren't. He just moved towards the stairs and went down them as fast as he could.
He finally came to a stop on the first floor, panting despite not really exerting himself that much. He briefly contemplated that this must've been what Twily experienced when she had her panic attacks, before quickly abandoning the thought. It wasn't helpful, and only made him feel more guilty than he already was.
He looked around the entrance, contemplating what to do next. He could go out the front door; head back into the city and try to find someplace to sit down and just think. No, that could only result in him getting lost. Besides, it wasn't like the outside was quiet.
"You gave your sister quite a scare, you know?", a voice said. Shining whirled around, watching his... Father, walk down the stairs. "Don't worry. She's getting your friends some tea."
"I...", Shining said.
He came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, sighing. "Your friend Ciaran told me your... dilemma. Come on; I know a place we can sit and talk."
The Umbrum went over to the other door in the lobby, gesturing for Shining to follow him. Left with little option, Shining followed him.
The door led to a small enclosed area, surrounded by buildings on all sides. Criss-crossing lines of robe hung between them, half-frozen blankets and jackets covering them. Most of the interior of this courtyard was covered with snow or wooden dumpsters. The exception was a large pine, planted right in the middle, which created a ring of uncovered soil around it. That soil was filled with small, almost crystal-like flowers and green stemmed plants.
His father sat down on a bench beneath the pine, tapping a hoof next to him. As Shining sat down, the Umbrum produced a small bottle, taking a swig from it. "Your name is Shining Armor, yeah?"
"Tenebrae", he said. "Humble fisher, at your service."
The two stallions sat there, not saying anything. They sat for at least ten minutes, the only noise that graced them being the faint wind that filtered over the top of the roofs.
Finally, Tenebrae broke that silence. "So... How do you like your family?"
"What?", Shining asked, bewildered.
Tenebrae took another swig from that small bottle, before putting the cork back on it and slipping it into his jacket pocket. "The other stallion-Shroud, right?" After getting a confirming nod, he continued, "Anyway, he mentioned you had a sister. I assume that means you had parents as well. How well did they raise you? Do you like them?"
"Of course", Shining said without hesitation, before wincing. "I mean-"
"No, I get it", Tenebrae said. "Family is... Family is everything up here. You can't survive without support, and... Well, I'm just glad you had someone."
"Right", Shining said. "But... What does that make you and Blackout?"
"Family", Tenebrae said simply. "I couldn't replace them even if I wanted to... I'm just happy you're alive. Spirits be praised!"
Shining let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. However, as his tension turned to mist in the cold air, a new thought occurred to him. "What... What happened? I mean, how did the guard find me?"
"The Guard?", Tenebrae asked, cutting off Shining with a knock on the bench. "Ah, yes. How did it come to where you could be found. Right."
"Yeah", Shining said.
Tenebrae sighed, before leaning forward and placing his head in his hooves. "Your mother was from another Clan. We met when my father and I were taking a batch of fish to her Keep. Anyway, we were visiting them when you and your sister were born. We stayed there a few months longer, before heading back here."
"On the way", he said, his voice growing somewhat hollow. "We were attacked by a Great Wyrm."
"A what?", Shining asked.
Tenebrae held up both hooves, holding them apart and making a sound like wood snapping. "Great beasts. The biggest creature this far north. There aren't many, and most are even further north. But... Sometimes they come south in search of prey. Like this."
"We were separated when it attacked", Tenebrae said. "We... It took us a month to find your mother's remains. I thought it a miracle that we did. We didn't find you... I thought you... I didn't know. And that scared me."
"But here you are", he said, placing a hoof on Shining's shoulder. "A grown stallion. You're successful, you have a wife, a family who I'm guessing love you-"
"Yes", Shining said. "Of course they love me."
"Like I said, I am glad you had a family", Tenebrae said. "Why don't you tell me about them?"
"Really?", Shining asked, earning a silent and attentive nod. "Well, I suppose my sister is as good a place as any to start..."
Twilight grunted, bracing behind her magical shield as another buffet of wind slammed into it. Behind her, the shivering of her friends and the Royal Guards with them reached her ears even over the roaring of the wind. She looked back up, only to once again be met by the merciless glare of the icy fog.
That same visage had been a constant companion since they had set off from the Crystal Empire in search of the ancient Umbrum fortress they had identified. While all three of the Princesses had objected, Twilight had insisted on leading the search; this was her brother, after all. She would find him.
That hadn't made the trip easy by any stretch of the imagination, however. Snow and sleet pounded at them like artillery, while a constant assault by whipping cold winds slowed their progress to a crawl in places. Even the weather-manipulation skill of Rainbow Dash and the Pegasus Royal Guards did little to stop it.
The only way that Twilight knew where they were going was an enchantment placed upon the map that tracked their location. Ever since they had left, the distance between them and the fortress grew less and less. They had actually made somewhat decent progress; they would be there in a few days, by her best estimate.
She was drawn from her thoughts by another flare in the chilly wind. This time, it caught her off guard and forced her to drop it, allowing it to race through the group unimpeded.
As the others practically ground to a halt, Lieutenant En Garde forced himself to the front. "Miss Twilight!", he yelled over the howling wind. "We need to stop!"
Twilight felt a brief pang of guilt, not wanting to stop her search for even a moment, but looking past the burly guard to her friends, she nodded. "Alright!", she bellowed back, lighting up her horn. This time, she sent out a brief pulse, looking for any irregularities in the terrain. A clump of boulders, a few bushes that somehow grew, a frozen river... There!
"There's a cave ahead!", she called. "Follow me!"
She swore she almost heard Rainbow Dash say, "Like we have a choice." If she did or not, she brushed the thought aside and led them towards the cave. Soon, the ever-present shroud of fog gave way to a roughly-hewn cave entrance, emerging from it like a beast from the darkness.
The expedition quickly surged forward and took shelter within, dropping their heavy packs and shedding a few of the piled on cloaks. Rarity practically purred as she removed her several scarves, exclaiming, "Oh, I can't believe I'm happy to be out of any kind of clothing. But I think I'll make an exception in this case."
"I'll drink ta that", Applejack agreed, slumping against her heavy pack.
Lieutenant En Garde immediately went to organizing his soldiers, saying, "Sergeant Lucerne, you're on first watch. Corporal Sentry, Private Envelopment, get a fire started."
While the Royal Guards went about their duties, Twilight and her friends gathered together. "How close are we?", Fluttershy asked.
"Not too far", Twilight said, unfurling the map and laying it in front of them. "We're about here. If we keep this pace, we should be there in a few days."
"And what then?", Applejack asked.
Twilight said, "Well, that's what the Elements are for." She gestured to her own pack, the blue and gold case just barely sticking out the top of it. "If Sombra is there, then we can use them on him. If Umbrum are vulnerable to Love, I don't see why the Elements shouldn't affect him."
"But what if he ain't?", Applejack pressed. "Ah get it, Twi. Ah'd do anythin' fer mah brother too. But... Well, what if he ain't there?"
"Well...", Twilight said, a lump forming in her throat. "Then, we'll head back to the Crystal Empire, and consider what to do next. We've got enough food for the return trip."
"Plus, even if we run out", Rainbow Dash snickered. "Pinkie's probably got enough marshmellows, chocolate, and grahm crackers to last us until we get back there."
"Hey", Pinkie said, nonchalantly pulling a few of the aforementioned ingredients out of her back. "You never go camping without them."
"You do realize that this isn't camping, right darling?", Rarity said.
Pinkie frowned a bit, before perking back up. "Of course I do. But that doesn't mean we can't make the most out of it. Plus, when we do find Shining, he'll probably want a s'more! S'mores always cheer me up!"
"Can't argue with that", Corporal Sentry said, looking over from the fire. "Ow! What?"
Lieutenant En Garde, quietly rubbing his hoof, said, "Stay focused, Corporal!"
At that moment, something suddenly began to whistle louder than the wind outside. Literally shooting out of the fog came a iron-tipped javelin, slamming into one of the Royal Guard's packs. At the same time, figures began to appear from the frozen exterior, accompanied by the fierce barking of dogs.
"Defensive positions!", Lieutenant En Garde yelled, stirring the Royal Guard into action. They grabbed their spears, coming together by the entrance to form a defensive line. Twilight looked out past the line to their attackers.
As they drew closer, Twilight could make out more of their assailants. They wore heavy coats underneath somewhat sparse armor, as well as fur-lined helmets, thick boots, and face-concealing masks and goggles. Most were armed with some kind of strange lance, while others hefted javelins and two held back the leashes of large, baying dogs. However, one details suddenly came to her attention: Their horns. Horns that resembled her brothers.
"Wait!", she yelled, running up to and past the Lieutenant.
En Garde almost slammed her back, asking, "What do you think you're doing?"
"They're Umbrum", she said, pointing towards their horns. The Umbrum soldiers also stopped their advance, assuming a defensive posture of their own. She stepped forward, careful to make no sudden moves. As she moved forward, one of the Umbrum also stepped forward, distinguished from the others by a red feather attached to his helmet. "Can you understand me?"
"Yes", the Umbrum said, his voice even and measured. "How do you know of us? What is your purpose here?"
"We're looking for my brother", she said. "He-"
"Is none of my concern", the Umbrum said. "If he got lost this far north, he is dead. I suggest you turn back now, lest you meet the same fate."
"No!", she said, before composing herself under the officer's stiff glare. "I mean, he's an Umbrum too! He was adopted by my family, and-"
The officer held up a hoof, silencing her instantly. He turned away, seeming to contemplate what she said. Twilight could swear she saw a brief flare of green light beneath his goggles, before he turned back to her. "I think I know who you're talking about. However, I still can't let you-"
"Please", she said. "I... I just want to make sure he's ok."
The officer turned back to his soldiers, seeming to consult with them nonverbally. Finally, he turned back to Twilight, and gave her a slight nod. "Alright. We'll see what the Magistrates have to say about it. However, we're taking your escort's weapons."
"Deal", Twilight said instantly, turning back to the Royal Guards. "Give them your weapons. They can take us to where Shining is."
The Lieutenant looked too his Guards and them to him, before finally lowering their spears. As two of the Umbrum came into the cave to secure them, En Garde said, "I hope you know what you're doing, Miss Twilight."
Even after he woke up, Shining sat staring at the ceiling. He blinked, watching as the faint glow of his eyes caused dancing shadows to splinter and shoot across the room. Finally, with a brief protest from his side and shakey legs, he forced himself upright.
The room he had been given was somewhat small, the mat he now slept on dominating most of the floor space. Despite the room being mostly dark, he could see it perfectly. The small gathering of dust on one corner not covered by the mat, the plain walls, the simple roof carved with what he now recognized as charms repelling evil spirits.
He threw off the blanket, finally managing to hoist himself up. A brief chill ran through his body as it protested the removal of the warm sheets, but was placated when he threw on his heavy jacket. He slipped on his boots, taking a deep breath, before stepping outside.
At the same time, his father stepped out of his own room. Shining froze, the older Umbrum doing the same as they looked at one another. Finally, the awkward pause was broken by Tenebrae laughing, saying, "The soldier and the fisher, huh? We wake up early, we end the day with wet fur, and we both do underappreciated jobs, eh?"
Shining shrugged. "I guess so."
"Come on", Tenebrae said. "I'll make us some tea."
Shining followed after Tenebrae, entering the main room of the apartment. While Tenebrae moved into the attached kitchen, Shining moved over to a small box in the corner of the room. He had been shown it before, of course; he wanted another look.
Opening up the box, he was greeted by the interior being lined with a thin layer of red silk, decorated with swirling patterns of wind, trees, and beasts. In the center sat a simple painting, depicting... his family. At least, the one he had been born into, and separated from. His father stood tall and proud, holding his sister in his hooves.
His eyes then turned to him, and to his mother. He had learned her name, Senka, when he was shown the box. She had pale white fur, closer to the one that his disguise had than his own pale grey. Her mane was tied back, landing loosely at her side. She held him close to her, grinning as if she was holding the most precious thing in the world. He sat in her arms, smiling as well, albeit the goofy, unfocused one of a toddler. He had been given his own name too: Whiteout.
Whiteout. That was the name he was born with. What did that make either it, or the one his parents back in Equestria gave him? He would still go by Shining Armor, but...
He was stirred from his reverie by a loud slam. Looking back in alarm, Shining saw his father look up from the central stove. The clang was from the large bowl that now rested over it, its cause explained by a sheepish grin on Tenebrae's face. "Sorry. Slipped."
"No worries", Shining said.
Tenebrae leaned down, fueling the fire with some of the wood stacked by the pantry. "I was thinking", he said, looking back up as he closed the stove's fuel slot. "You're back. Of course, we've celebrated in a way. But... Well, what do you think about the two of us going fishing?"
"Fishing?", Shining asked, sitting down on one of the fur-lined chairs.
Tenebrae smiled. "Yes! Proper Ice Fishing, just the two of us. Maybe get something special for the main festival tonight."
Shining couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath at the mention of the festival. It was officially for King Sombra, whose return had been announced later the day they had arrived in Sombrashaven. While he had only gone out of the apartment to help Ciaran and Shroud get some groceries, he had already seen and heard enough of excitement to be uncomfortable. He still hadn't reconciled the information he had been given and what he had seen of the former tyrant and what the other Umbrum thought of him.
"I mean... Why not?", Shining said. "What's involved?"
"Oh, I have all of the things we need", Tenebrae said, all the while pouring in some water. "I have a friend we can borrow a sled and dogs from. There's a lake down in one of the valleys on the other side of the mountain that we can get access to."
"Get access to?", Shining asked.
Tenebrae opened up a small tin of tea, putting it into the steaming pot of water. "There are cycles in which we can fish lakes and rivers near here. We fish too much, there won't be enough fish to repopulate. This one lake has just gotten approval for us to fish in it again."
"Alright", Shining said. He looked over to the box once again, not leaving the small painting that filled the interior.
Shining hopped off the sled as it came to a halt, his father joining him shortly afterward. The two of them looked out over a flat patch of snow, extending across a vast stretch of ground before ending in a patch of trees and rocks on the opposite bank. "You're sure this is it?", Shining asked.
"Ice is covered by the snow, but this is it", Tenebrae said. "I've been fishing here since I could hold up a pole for any length of time."
"Alright then", Shining said. "Let's get started."
"Not so fast", Tenebrae said, returning to the sled and pulling out a small box. "We have to make an offering first."
"To the spirits?", Shining asked.
Tenebrae clicked his fangs, nodding. "That's right. You've caught on."
Tenebrae opened up the box, revealing a few strips of some kind of red meat and several carved sticks. He removed the meat in his aura, he passed the box to Shining. Shining in turn took out the sticks, carrying them tightly as he followed his father to the edge of the lake.
"Put four of them in a square, then lean the rest of them against one another", Tenebrae explained. "We want it to look like a pointed dome."
Shining followed his instructions, placing the sticks in the indicated manner. Tenebrae removed a small piece of shredded wood from his jacket and placed it in the middle of the sticks. His horn glowed, and black flame sprouted on the wood. It lept to the sticks, until a small fire roared in the morning wind.
"Great Spirits", Tenebrae intoned, throwing one piece of meat onto the fire. "We thank you for your kindness, in allowing us to live within your domain. We thank you for your generosity, in allowing us to take from you. We ask for your allowance to once again take from your home. We offer you this offering in exchange for what we take. May this be worthy of your acceptance, and may we bless your humble servants."
Shining and Tenebrae both stared into the fire as the last of the meat strips was thrown in. The smell of the burning meat smelled faintly pleasant, the soft white smoke blending with the cloud-filled sky. After another few moments of silence, Tenebrae raised his head, nudging Shining's shoulder. "Come on. Let's get started."
Shining followed his father back to the sled, helping him to remove a smaller sled from the front compartment. The smaller sled was filled with several tools, including a shovel, the ubiquitous weighted pike, and a hafted saw being the ones that Shining first identified.
Tenebrae dragged the sled behind him, Shining following behind him as the two of them headed out onto the lake. Shining could feel the transition between frozen mud and ice as they marched onto the frozen body of water. It felt like walking on glass; while it held firm, Shining could almost feel the ice shift under his hooves.
Finally, Tenebrae stopped, nodding to himself. "This is a good spot", he said, dropping the rope the sled was attached to and removing the saw.
"How can you tell?", Shining asked.
Tenebrae waved the blade around, gesturing at the ice. "Ice is thick enough to not crack when we open it up, and thin enough to breach easily." He levitated the pike out of the sled, tossing it to Shining. "Make a few holes leading away from it. One every five steps or so."
"Uh...", Shining said, looking away from where his father was standing.
Tenebrae sighed, shaking his head. "Nevermind, sorry. Slipped my mind you've never done this before. Alright, you cut the main hole."
"What do you need me to do?", Shining asked.
Tenebrae exchanged the pike he gave Shining for the saw, then pointed to the shovel also in the sled. "Clear off the snow and cut a hole in the ice. It should be about as big as the sled; maybe a little bit bigger. We want to be able to lower a net into it."
"Ok", Shining said, hefting the saw in his telekinesis as he got used to its weight. "I can do that."
"I know you can", Tenebrae said, clapping his shoulder. With that encouragement, he headed off, leaving Shining alone.
He put the saw back in the sled and pulled out the shovel, scraping it against the surface of the lake to move the snow away and expose the solid ice. It shown a strange bluish-black, reflecting the small amount of light that flickered down through the clouds. As it was cleared away, Shining swapped it out for the saw.
He lifted it up into the air, driving it down in a single deep thrust. The pointed tip broke through the ice easily, resistance dropping off almost immediately after he broke through. He began to lift it up and down, the serrated teeth ripping through the ice like a knife through butter. He twisted it after he reached the edge of the spot he cleared of snow, continuing his sawing motion throughout the rest of the section.
He finally finished after minutes of strenuous labor, finishing off back where he started. He pulled the saw out, shaking off the water that clung to the blade. He turned to his father, who was still driving holes through the ice further out. "What now!?", he yelled.
His father looked up from the hole before yelling back, "Stick one of the hooks through the block you cut out! Then slid it under the ice! I'm almost done!"
Shining said, "Ok, ok." He once again checked the sled, moving aside a few of the poles and the bundled-up net. Finally, he found the hooks: a crescent-shaped piece of brass attached to a thick length of rope. Also grabbing one of the poles, he began to push the block under the surface ice covering the rest of the lake. After a bit of it was underneath the water, he drove the hook into the piece that still stuck out above the surface.
As he finished pushing the rest of the block under the ice, he heard the crunch of snow that signaled his father's return. "Alright, good", Tenebrae said. "Well pull that back out and reseal the ice when we're done. Come on; let's get a quick bite."
Tenebrae pulled out another box that had been placed in the sled. The lid was flipped up, revealing a few dumplings. Despite having breakfast not two hours prior, Shining could feel his stomach howl in need, and so he didn't hesitate in grabbing one.
He bit the thing in half, sighing in bliss as the mix of meat and onion danced in his mouth. As he finished swallowing the bite, he asked, "So what's next?"
"We put the net in place", Tenebrae said, swallowing his own large bite. "Then we use the holes I cut to drive the fish towards the net. We do this once or twice, and we should get a decent haul."
"And you do this for a living?", Shining asked, sucking in a deep breath. "This is almost as bad as drills."
"The Spirits provide much, but ask as much", Tenebrae said. "Come on. We should get to work so we can be back for the festival tonight."
Shining was thrown back, his legs slamming into reverse as he righted himself. He squared his front legs, rooting himself to the ground. His opponent did similarly, snorting and fixing him with glowing purple eyes. The two circled one another, trying to find an opening.
Out of nowhere, Shining's foe lunged forward, raising up onto his hind legs as he attempted to tackle him. Shining did the same, meeting him halfway. Their chests slammed together, forelegs sweeping around the back in an attempt to grapple the other. Gnashing teeth and wild snarls emanated from the other stallion and, to his shock, himself.
Finally, he got an opening. Shifting a bit more of his strength to his right foreleg, he managed to throw his opponent down into the snow. In an instant, he was on him, pinning his hooves while pressing as much of his body weight as he could against his foe. The other stallion looked up, snorted once again, before glumly announcing, "I yield."
Wild cheers erupted from the ring of Umbrum that surrounded the makeshift fighting ring. Shining stood back up, grinning widely as adrenaline rushed through his veins. His opponent did the same, grinning even bigger and laughing like a maniac. "So you Southern types aren't so weak, eh? Ha ha ha!"
"Never doubt the Royal Guard!", Shining answered, sharing a laugh with the other stallion. "That was good."
"Yeah", the other Umbrum said, sliding back into his boots. "Care for a drink?"
"No thanks", Shining said, doing the same. "Have a good one."
"Yeah, you too", he said, not even bothering to button up his jacket as he marched away from the ring.
As he did up his own jacket, he stole a look around the main park in the center of Sombrashaven. The entire place had been turned into a makeshift festival following the announcement of Sombra's return. Umbrum of all appearances and shapes dominated the square; some were playing games or wrestling, as he had just done, some were eating from the variety of stalls that dominated every square hoof of the streets around the park, and others still were just standing around and talking.
He made his way through the crowd, just taking it all in. All around him were Umbrum, his own species, standing in the open. They were laughing, talking, dancing, playing games. Music from the various drums and string instruments filtered over the square, and Shining couldn't help but smile.
He couldn't say that he felt isolated back home. With the illusion charm he wore outside his house made sure that everypony saw him as just a regular unicorn. However, there was still this layer of separation between him and even his closest friends. His family and Cadence were the only ponies he could show himself to, and to be around those where he didn't have to do that... It felt nice.
He made his way over to his father, who stood behind one of the stalls. To his surprise, he saw a Yak standing in front of the stall, giving his father a few brass coins in exchange for a slice of fried fish. He'd only seen a Yak in pictures before, and to see one in front of him now was startling.
Before he could say anything, his dad saw him and smiled. "Ah, good Prince. This is my son, Shining Armor. Shining, this is the Yakistani Crown Prince, Rutherford!"
The massive yak smiled, pulling Shining into a bone-snapping hug. "Pleasure to meet you, Shiny Armor!"
"Shining!", Shining squeaked out. When Rutherford let him go, he sucked in a deep breath. "Oh!"
"You ok?", Tenebrae asked.
Shining breathed out, "Yeah, yeah. Just wasn't expecting to get crush-hugged by a Yak, of all creatures."
"Yaks and Umbrum good friends!", Rutherford enthusiastically explained. "Friends for a thousand moons!" He turned back to his father, taking the fish and bowing his head. "I thank you for fish. Long life to your King!"
As the Prince left, Shining moved up to his father's side. "And here I thought the Yaks were isolationist."
"To you", Tenebrae said, before clearing his throat. "Well, to the Equestrians. As the only other formal power in the Spirits Domain, it'd make sense we'd make an alliance. We process ore for them, they lease us land we can farm. A mutual arrangement, just like our own relationship with the land."
"Right", Shining said.
Tenebrae laughed, before turning back to the screaming pot of oil. "Care for some? You must be hungry."
"Sure", Shining said. "Thanks."
"No worries", Tenebrae said, beginning to coat one of the fish in aromatic oil. "So, I was thinking. Your mother's side of the family and I haven't been in contact much. Of course, we visit them or they visit us to see your sister. But, now that you're back, I was thinking we could have some big event."
"Event?", Shining asked.
Tenebrae place the fish in the oil, turning back to look at him. "Of course! It'd take a few weeks for the messages to get to the relatives in the other Keep, but I'm sure-"
"Dad", Shining said, still internally wincing. Both at what he called the stallion and what he had to say. "I... I don't think I'll stay here that long."
Tenebrae froze, the light in his eyes seeming to dim. "What?"
"I...", Shining said, gritting his fangs. "I... I have a family out there. Even if I... Even excluding my pare-Excluding the ones that raised me, I still have a wife. She must be worried sick. I was going to see what I can do to go south and find her."
Father and Son stared at one another, neither wanting to say a thing. Neither really knew what to say. Tenebrae slowly turned around, flipping over the fish. "I... I see", he said, placing the fish back in the oil.
The sizzle of frying fish was the only thing that played between them. The silence was deafening, feeling like it extended for hours. "I'm... I'm sorry", Shining said.
"No, don't be", Tenebrae said. He scooped up the finished fish, placed it on a small wooden board and passed it to Shining. "I should have expected it. I was... Well, a fool for not thinking about it."
"Wait, that's not-"
"It's fine", Tenebrae said, rubbing the back of his hoof against one eye. "I'll see you later, eh?"
"...Right", Shining said, turning away. He walked slightly away from the crowded park, finding a small staircase leading up to one building bordering the square to sit down at. He brushed away some of the snow, sitting down on the hewn stone. He almost didn't notice the other Umbrum near him until some of the snow landed on him, causing him to hiss in alarm. "Oh, sorr-" He was cut off, surprised at what he found himself looking at:
